Can't Let Go
by lmr0211
Summary: It starts off Season 4 of Buffy and Season 1 of Angel. Can Buffy get her life together without anyone else influencing her? Can she make her own decisions and not let the people around her judge her? Will the change of her life be better or will she need a change of scenery? Will Angel finally let her make her own decisions without his noble ideas?
1. Let's Start Over

**Hello everyone. I'm new to this writing gig so any advice is greatly appreciated. This is my first story. It's been rolling in my head for days. I wanted to put a different spin on Buffy and her character. I am going to put some episodes from the shows in here and sometimes go off on my own hopefully not damaging the characters. In this fic I want Buffy to be her own person and not have everyone's wants and opinions effect the person she is. I want to keep the characters as close as I can but want to change the storyline. This will be a Buffy/Angel fic because I'm obsessed. I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy and Angel characters I just want to borrow them and give them a chance to have a different outcome. I just want to use my imagination like all the others and stop the ideas of a million stories from running in my head. I just want to extract them! Thank You**

**Can't Let Go**

**Chapter One:****_ Let's Start Over_**

She really hated hospitals but it had been a while since she has been here. It seems like the girl lying in the bed is the only one who listens to her these days. _Ah maybe it's because she really doesn't have much of a choice Buffy. _ She can be who she wants to be, say what she wants to say without the judgment and harassment from her friends, Giles and her mom. There was that one person who always understood her inside and out left her to have a so called normal life. Now she just wants her life back but nothing will ever be the same. Can anything get any worse?

"Sorry I haven't been by in a while. I promise I'm not avoiding you just trying to put things into perspective and was deciding what classes I want to take. I'm still not sure what subject I want my major in but I'm sure I'll figure it out don't I always once I get the feel for it. My focus areas are simple but I can't choose between two subjects: Literature and World History. I am taking Psychology with Willow can you see the excitement on my face! Come on you're suppose to laugh and tell me I'm impossible." Buffy sighs and pulls the chair closer to the bed so she can put her hand in the woman that's lying there.

"I promise I'm not following Will around she was so excited about the class and the professor and her going on about how cool it would be to have the class together I decided to keep the pretense. Besides it will probably be fun who knows. I just want to do my own thing now not what everyone wants me to do or expect me to do you know. Buffy sighs again and puts her forehead on the bed.

Buffy lifts her head after a few minutes and looks at the woman and squeezes her hand and says "Come on Faith don't ya think you've got enough rest. I never figured you to be the lazy one. I just want you to get better. I'll come by as much as I can and irritate you to waking up just to tell me to shut up." Buffy was about to get up when she felt the hand she was holding squeeze her hand.

Buffy's eyes went wide and shot up to look at Faith hoping her brown eyes would be starring at her but they were still closed. She waited a few minutes more just to be sure but nothing happened. As she tried to pry her hand from the woman in the bed she felt another squeeze.

Buffy yanked her hand from Faith's grip and ran out of the room screaming "Nurse! Nurse!"

"Is there a problem Ms.?" A tall woman with red short hair and round pleasant face with a name tag that reading Mandy said behind the counter.

"My friend in room 106 just started moving. Do you think she might be waking up?" An exasperated Buffy says.

"Lets go and check her vitals to make sure everything is alright. I'll have the doctor paged." Mandy says.

Buffy follows the nurse back to Faith's room and sat back in the chair while Mandy did her job.

When Mandy is finished she turns around toward Buffy and says, "Her condition hasn't changed since the last time she had her vitals done and that was an hour ago. I'm sorry I can't give you better news." As she turns to leave the doctor walks in and takes Faith's chart from her.

"Hello Ms., my name is Dr. John Sans. Can you tell me what happened?"

"I was talking to my friend and was about to get up and I felt her squeeze my hand. I thought maybe she was starting to wake up so I starred at her for a few minutes. I know that some comatose patients have muscle spasms but when I started to pull away again she squeezed my hand again. Do you think that maybe she is responding to me? That there is a possibility that she can hear me."

"There is always that possibility Ms…."

"Buffy"

"Buffy, we are still not sure if they can hear but we always encourage people to keep there presence and conversation. She hasn't any visitors except an earlier this summer and I remember see you walking around so there is always that possibility. We will keep an eye on her more frequently. I'll add some reflex exams periodically also to see how she responds to that treatment."

"She doesn't have any family here can I leave my name and number for someone to call me if something happens."

"Of course you are welcome to fill out the forms at the nurse's station before you leave."

"Thank you so much Dr. Sans." Buffy reaches out her hand to shake his.

"Your Wel…..Oh you have quiet the grip." Buffy realizes she is squeezing to hard and pulls away.

Dr. Sans looks at her and shakes his hand to make sure nothing is damaged. He chuckles, "It's alright and you are welcome I'll leave you alone to finish your visit with your friend."

Buffy just nods her head and turns to Faith "I'm going to go home get ready for patrol. I promised Willow she could come with me. I'll be back tomorrow after classes. Maybe I can annoy you enough with my homework you'll actually open your eyes." Buffy smiles a little. She leans over to kiss Faith's forehead then turns to leave heading to the nurse's station to fill out the emergency contact information.


	2. Friends and Feelings

**Hello everyone. The first chapter was short I know. Buffy being the kind and forgiving person I figured if she could forgive and tolerate Xander all these years making fun of Angel, Faith should be able to be too. Buffy and Faith have a better understanding of each other because of what they are meant to do and how totally opposite they are to each other. They say opposites attract. I want to bring Faith earlier in the story for a reason that will help the story and Buffy. I want to change Faith because I honestly don't think she was that evil to begin with. I can relate to her and her emotions on being alone. Her and Buffy now have this in common. I have this all mapped out in my head and I know where this is going but its getting the scenes setup that is taking awhile to introduce my ideas. If anyone has any feedback to help my juggling mind I could use the help and advice. Hope you enjoy next character confrontation!**

**Chapter 2: ****_Friends and Feelings_**

Buffy arrived home to get ready for her patrol tonight. Willow is supposed to meet her at the house so that they can leave together. Her nerves were on overdrive. She had a that funny feeling in the pit of her stomach that her "best friend" wanted to find out what was happening to her and to probably convince her to get over her issues.

Buffy opened the door to the house and walked up the stairs to her room. She pulled out her patrol outfit and decided to change and wait for Willow to arrive in her bedroom. Once she was ready with the necessary stake for Willow, Mr. Pointy in her pocket, extra weapons in various areas of her person, and her weapons bag all packed up she sat on her bed waiting for the doorbell to ring.

Buffy was so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear the phone ringing until the forth ring. Thinking it maybe Willow calling she answered the phone on the fifth ring. "Hello"

Nobody answered. She called out again "Is someone there?" This wasn't the first time she'd received calls like this and it was getting very annoying and she was on edge after the day she had.

"If you are going to keep calling without answering you seriously need a new hobby!" She hung up the phone and placed it back on the charger. 'What is wrong with people these days? They have nothing better to do than prank call someone sheesh.' A couple of minutes later the door bell rang. 'Now that is Wills."

Buffy grabbed her jacket and bag and headed downstairs. Opening the door that had her 'best friend' on the other side Buffy put on her happy smile and opened the door. "Hi ya Will".

"Oh Buffy it's so good to see you. I feel like we haven't talked in ages. I've been so busy with Oz and my parents trying to convince me to change my mind and move to England. England really! I don't think so!" Willow expelled.

'Yeah you are just too busy to return phone calls also.' "I know Will busy all around here too. Are you ready to go?" Buffy said stepping out the door and waiting for Willow on the porch to come out so she could lock the door behind her.

"Uh sure." And Willow followed her out.

The walk was relatively quiet. Willow kept making glances at Buffy to feel out how she should approach the subject that has been on everyone's mind these days regarding Buffy and her withdrawal from the group. As they came around toward the entrance of the cemetery Buffy stopped and looked at Willow saying "Always be on your guard and pay attention to your surroundings. If things start to get out of hand I want you to hide or if you get the chance run. Understood."

"I know the drill." Willow said surprised and a little taken back by Buffy's right to the point of business attitude. 'Maybe she isn't dealing as well as we thought.'

"Ok" Buffy said and walks through the gate.

They head toward the grave they are supposed to be looking for 'Seth White'. Buffy places her bag down on the ground and sits right across from the grave.

On the way here she noticed Willow's glances and is waiting for her friend to speak. As if on cue, "Did you bring the list of courses with you so that we can figure out what classes you are going to sign up for?"

Buffy looked up at her friend and said "I already signed up for my classes earlier this week."

"Oh." Willow said a little disappointed that Buffy figured out what see wanted to do without her opinion. "I thought we were going to figure that out together because you said you still weren't sure what you wanted to take."

"I tried calling you for the past couple of weeks to get together but I decided that I need to figure this out on my own. I didn't want to wait too long and it was already driving me nuts not being able to decide. I also was glad that there were slots left in the classes that I wanted to take."

"Oh well that's good. Um…. So what uh classes did you end up choosing to take?"

"I picked the Psych class that you were raving about. I read some of Professor Walsh's reviews and I thought it would be an interesting change to my curriculum. English 101 of course, Introduction to American Literature up to 1850's, and 17th Century European History." Buffy was fidgeting with Mr. Pointy knowing that something was going to come up.

And she was right it gave Willow the opportunity to bring up the conversation she was wondering how to start with Buffy. "Really Buffy do you think those classes are for you. I mean, I'm not saying that you are not capable because you are but…"

"Will I haven't decided on my major yet but I know I want to focus on Literature and World History. I put both of them as my course studies to get a feel for both subjects." The can of worms were going to pop and come slithering out and Buffy was trying to figure out away to avoid the situation.

"But the question is, is this what you want and not leaning towards a certain person in that history or that reads that literature. Buffy he left so that you could have a normal life. He wouldn't want you to dwell on the past. We all think it is for the best. Nothing good would have come out of that situation." Ok maybe it wasn't a can of worms that was opened it was a bomb waiting to go off.

"I know everyone thinks Angel's decision was the best for everyone. To be honest it may well have been the best for everyone except me. I'm never going to have a normal life. I'll always be the Slayer. I won't get to choose to have the normal boyfriend, husband, or even children. Why? Because they would always be in constant danger and I don't want a normal life!" She had to take a deep calming breath to calm her anger. 'Why does everyone get to choose what is best for me beside me.'

"I know your hurting right now Buffy but with time it will get better. No one knows what the future holds and College changes so many things in life. Don't you want to experience all this even if you die young? Maybe you will find someone else. Someone who you can connect with on a different level than you and Angel had. Maybe even have a better relationship. Just don't give up on the possibilities. That is all we ask."

'A better relationship! Really do they really not understand her or do they just not care about how she is dealing with this or maybe they don't care about her at all.' Buffy was shaking but she really didn't want to get into a fight about her feelings and her relationship with Angel. As of right now she didn't think any of them had a right to tell her what she should do and how she should feel.

Buffy wanted to defuse the situation so she agreed to disagree in her mind. "Ok Willow."

Just then they heard a movement and Buffy turned around as the vampire was approaching Willow from behind. "Willow!" Buffy yells grabbing her and pulling her behind as she advanced toward the vampire.

Fangs bared and hissing as his meal was stolen from him. They approach each other. Buffy throwing a punch right to his nose as the vamp tried to punch her in the gut. He grabbed his nose in shock but before he could act Buffy kicked him in the gut with a roundhouse kick sending the vamp crashing into the tree behind them. As he was getting up to straighten himself out Buffy was approaching him again and he could see the fury on her face. She back handed him and swiped his legs from underneath him so he went crashing to the ground. Buffy leaned over to whisper "thanks for the distraction" and staked him in the heart with Mr. Pointy.

Putting Mr. Pointy back in her pocket she turned to face Willow and said "I'll walk you home. I'm only going to sweep a couple more cemeteries then head towards the docks. You should get home we have a big day tomorrow."

They walked in silence. Buffy was thanking the gods for the quiet and not having to deal with anymore advice. A few minutes later Willow's house came into view Willow walked away and waved to Buffy before she walked through the front door and disappeared into the house.

Buffy sighed and turned in the opposite direction. 'Let's just hope that college will keep us both busy. Don't want anyone thinking that she is going to break the promise. As if. They don't care how I feel or what I want they just want what they believe is best for themselves.'

Buffy came up to the last cemetery of the night hoping for some action of any kind. She walked quietly through the cemetery wanting to beat her frustration out on anything really. Just as she was going around a mausoleum she heard voices. Putting her back to the wall of the mausoleum she was ready for some action. The two vamps came around the mausoleum and came face to face with the Slayer. "Slayer."

"Oh great now my night is complete thank you for being in the right place at the right time." The vampires looked at each other and then to Buffy with confused looks as she made a spinning kick that hit both of them in the face knocking them several feet from her and on the ground. One of the vampires had gotten impaled by a branch that was lying on the ground. Buffy shook her head and said "Man that sucks and I was so looking forward to kicking both of your butts. Oh well guess I can't always get what I want."

"That was my best friend you stupid wench. You're going to pay for that dearly."

"Bring it on."

The vampire advance towards Buffy and he went to punch her but Buffy ducked the punch and sent an upper cut punch toward the vamp hitting him under his chin. The impact from the punch sent him sailing through the air and breaking a headstone to break his fall. He got up quickly and ran in the direction towards Buffy. Stopping in front of her, he waited for her to make her next move. When she went to punch him again he grabbed her wrist and twisted it behind her back so she ended up with her backside up against the front of the vampire.

Buffy surprised with the turn of events let out "oof" from the impact. After pulling herself together she tried to break free of the vamp's grip. She had to think quickly because he was starting to overpower her.

The vamp was leaning in to bite her when he realized that she could go anywhere with the grip he had on her. Looking down at her neck pulsing his eyes widen in shock. "You are marked" he says.

Buffy knowing that he noticed her scar from when Angel fed from her got the opportunity she was waiting for. "What's it to you?" she said and reared her head back hard and hit the vamp in the chin which gave her the opportunity to break free of his relaxing grip. She spun around and punched him in the head then the chest. When he went flying she want running to him lying on the ground and started punching him everywhere. In the face a couple of times, in the chests, then she started kicking him in the side of his ribs. As her anger started to dissipate she grabbed Mr. Pointy from her back pocket and brought it down to the vamps heart and smiled as he turned to dust.

Feeling she had enough for the night and forgoing the trip to the docks she turned to leave the cemetery. It was starting to get late and she had to be up early so her mom can drop her off at school in the morning she left the cemetery feeling better about the end of her night. Buffy reached the house and walked up the stairs deciding to take a shower before bed and follows her nightly routine. As she comes from the bathroom in her P.J.'s she gets this odd sensation of the rest of her energy draining from her and feels completely exhausted. She makes it to the bed and pulls the covers back so she can climb into the bed. As she places her head on the pillow and closes her eyes she prays that in her dreams she finds some kind of peace.

**Please Review would love to here your thoughts!**


	3. Soulful Dreams

**Hello everyone. This chapter is a little short but I wanted to show that some are routing for our champions. This idea may come in at other times of the story but I thought it was nice insight to Buffy's determination to make some listen to her and not what is supposedly right for her. I hope you enjoy and please feel free to criticize I love all feedback.**

**Chapter 3: _Soulful Dreams_**

Buffy could feel herself floating up into the mist. 'Where the hell am I?' It just seemed to be a thick fog and she couldn't see anything around her. "Hello is anyone there?" she tried to say but the words didn't come out of her mouth 'what I can't speak here just think. God I hate slayer dreams sometimes.' She heard a chuckle and felt a presence with her.

Buffy tried to move her body around to see if she can find anyone with her but she couldn't move. 'ok what the hell is going on here.' Another chuckle.

'Buffy'

'Angel, where are we and why can't I see you?'

'There is no physical here Buffy. You have to open up your mind. We are sleeping and our essence brought us here'

'Ok I'm confused. Are you saying that we're dreaming and our minds are here but our bodies are in our beds?'

'In a sense yes that is what I think is happening. Buffy do you remember what happened before you went to bed?'

'When I got home from patrol I went to take a shower before bed. When I got out of the shower and was walking to my bedroom I felt something draining what was left of the energy I had in me. Do you think someone put a spell on me?'

'No because I felt the same sensation. I wasn't even tired when I got home but all of a sudden…'

'This is really weird.'

The mist started to separate as the two minds were trying to figure out what was happening to them and why. There were forms forming from the mist, two as a matter of fact. One was a female and the other a male. The two figures were wearing what looked like white togas with gold broaches holding them in place to their bodies and gold sandals. The bodies of the figures where wearing what looked to be some type of gold sparkling paint on their bodies.

The female figure was the one to speak first with a smile upon her face. 'Hello Warriors and welcome to soul dreams.'

'Soul dreams? How did our souls get here?' Asks a surprised Buffy.

'We are not here to answer your petty questions.' The male figure replied.

'Please forgive my brother he does not feel we should interfere.' Replies the female.

'We should not have to answer to lower beings.' Snaps the male.

'They are warriors for the Powers and they feel an intervention should be awarded. I will get to the point and then we will be on our way for you to decide. You are both in pain and this makes you weak. The circumstances of your relationship were not foreseen but the consequences of your actions will lead to a hurtful path for the both of you if not rectified correctly. Your separation was needed but we did not foresee that your separation would cut the ties to your separate lives. You must heal and come to terms with how your lives have become intertwined and the outcomes it has caused you to be at the point you are. You must grow but not abandon each other. You must choose your own paths without the outside influences and the pain consequences have caused in your battles. This is why the Powers have brought you here.' The female explains to the soul mates. Just as the two figures are disappearing into the mist they both respond in a whisper 'Together you are strong alone you are dead'.

'Angel, do you think we can figure out their riddles or do you know what they were talking about?'

'I believe the Powers are looking for us to examine our lives and the decisions that we've made but it doesn't change the circumstances of the paths that we have chosen.'

'I don't want to be without you Angel! Right now I don't have anyone and I'm tired. Tired of the interventions, worried looks from everyone like I'm about to crack, and the necessary comments to move on and find someone else.'

'Buffy, you have your friends, mother, and Giles love you. They are only trying to do what is best for you.'

'What is best for me! They don't care how I feel or how I'm doing. I've been trying to get together with Willow and she never called me back till two days ago. You want to know what she wanted to do! I'll tell you alright! She wanted to tell me how my life should be! She kept saying how we want you to be happy, we want you to move on with your life, we want you to find someone better that's what we want. No one wants to hear what I have to say, how I feel, or what I want in my life. I'm going to go to school and live my life, slay the demons but I don't want you to not be apart of that. I want to be apart of your life and what you do in L.A. I want you in my life any way I can have you.'

'Buffy, you know it's not safe…'

'It's not safe for who you. You're all the way in L.A. how can that not be safe. Please Angel.'

'Oh Buffy, do you not think I don't miss you or this is eating me up inside? I do love you with everything I have in my being but sometimes that isn't enough. I want you to have more…'

'STOP! You and everyone else want that for me but I don't!'

Buffy woke up gasping for breathe wondering what had gotten her so worked up. 'Was it the dream with those weird people?' She was shaking and trying to get her mind clear and trying to remember what had happened in the dream. 'Maybe I'm over thinking it and eventually when I'm not worrying about it something will click.' She turned to look at the clock on her night stand that read 4:45 in red bold numbers. She ran her hands over her face trying to clear her mind. She decided to get up instead of going back to sleep for an hour.

'Maybe I'll sneak into the hospital' Buffy thought as she started to get dressed for her day.

**Ok so what do you think? Reviews are highly appreciated. Next up Buffy heads to College!**


	4. I Hate Being New

**Hello Everyone. This will start the season but I took a lot of the original and made it fit with the story. It's a long chapter and it incorporates the first episode Freshmen with added necessities. This was trial run for including the episodes I think I'm going to do it a little different when I put in the next episode. Please feel free to comment good or bad. I'm not much of a writer and would love any critics feedback. Hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 4: ****_I Hate Being New_**

Buffy made it to the hospital at 5:30 just as she approached the entrance Mandy, the nurse from yesterday, was walking up to meet her. "Ms. Summers you do know visiting hours do not start until 9:00 right."

"I know but I was up early and couldn't fall back to sleep. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it back here today. I'll be across town at UC Sunnydale all day so I wanted to see Faith and to see if there has been any change in her condition." Buffy told her.

"Not sure about the changes I left almost right after you did yesterday. I'll let you in this time and I'll come in to check her chart." Mandy replies

"Oh, Ok thanks" Buffy says as they make their way into the hospital and to the elevator.

The ride to the second floor was uneventful and quiet thankfully. Mandy ushered Buffy towards room 106 that held Faith in a coma. They walked through the open door and Buffy took the seat next to Faith's bed and put her hand in Faith's and gave it a squeeze.

Mandy was looking over Faith's chart and said "the doctor requested some exercises to test her reflexes and responses. It seems all is well but there is no sign that she is going to recover from the coma at this point in time. She is responding to the exercises and it will help keep her muscles strong and in shape."

"Thank you Mandy."

"You are welcome Ms. Summers"

"Please call me Buffy"

"Alright Buffy good luck in school and hope to see you soon." Mandy says as she is putting Faith's chart back and walking out the door.

"I can't stay long I have to go to the University and get all my stuff ready, pick up my books and get my ID card. College, Faith can you believe I made it this far. I was getting restless after the night I had so I figured I could come by see how you are doing and maybe run something by you."

Buffy started to tell Faith about her patrol with Willow last night. "Can you believe her? She was the only one who understood my feelings for Angel and look at the 180 she did. Maybe I can find someone better than Angel she says, yeah right! Apparently my 'best friend' don't know me at all. It just makes me so mad.

Ok enough about Willow. I want to tell you about this dream I had last night that left me shaking when I woke up. I don't remember much but I felt safe in the beginning, then I woke up angry." She told her about the two weird looking people and how she didn't see herself or anyone else but she did feel another presence. "All I remember is hearing the voices echo 'Together you are strong alone you are dead'. I think it had something to do with Angel and me, but I'm really not sure. It's probably why I woke up so angry. Angel was trying to be Mr. Nobility no doubt." She laughs at her statement which in reality was exactly what happened.

After calming down she leaned into Faith and kissed her forehead. "Sorry to cut this short but I have to go if I can get a ride from mom." Buffy pulled back and felt Faith squeeze her hand again. She smiled at her and went to leave the room.

When Buffy made it back to the house and through the door she heard her mom yelling at someone. She made it to the living room to hear her mom say "Please don't call here anymore! We don't want you bothering us and if you keep harassing us by calling I'll call the police!"

Buffy stood in the room worried for her mother "Mom is everything OK."

"Oh Buffy! Where have you been? I went into your room to check on you and it didn't look like you came home last night." Joyce yells at her daughter.

"I got home late from patrol and then I had a bad dream and didn't want to go back to sleep so I got up and went for a walk."

"Are you all set with everything you need? I can drop you off at the University anytime."

"Let me just grab my stuff then we can go." Buffy says as she turns toward the stairs. 'She does know that I won't be home at night anymore right. I wonder if she's going to call the dorm to make sure I'm there.' Buffy let out a long sigh 'it is going to be a long day'.

The car ride to the campus was made in silence. They said their goodbyes as Buffy got out of the jeep and grabbed the rest of her belongings. Buffy made her way towards the middle of the quad with students all walking in different directions. Then she comes to a group of student with one trying to get attention of others that maybe in her group.

"Freshmen! We're doing this by folder color! If you're not holding on to a yellow folder, you're in the wrong group. You belong up by Wiseman Hall!"

Buffy looked at the folder in her hand, it not being a yellow folder she starts to head in the other direction. Going through her folder she is trying to search for the campus map she put in there so she wouldn't get lost.

As she starts to walk in the direction she needs she hears someone call her name. Buffy sighs deeply and turns around with her usual smile. "Hey Willow"

"Isn't this cool? There's so much going on" Willow says

"Yeah it's a little much but you hull through it" Buffy replies.

"I got some of my course already. Have you met your roommate yet?"

"Uh no not yet" Buffy says.

The both of them start to walk away. Willow stops and noticed Buffy just kept walking in the other direction. "Buffy, where are you going?"

"I need to go to Wiseman hall and get my I.D. card. I'll meet up with you later."

"Oh Ok, I'll just go see if I can find Oz bye."

Buffy nodded and finished her collection of her I.D. card then on to the book store to get her books. The book store was an eventful with the mass hysteria of falling items. As she tried to reach for her Psychology book she knocked a couple of the books off the shelf instead and if fell on a student crouched on the floor. She learned that he was going to be her TA in her Psych class and that his name was Riley. He was a big man with broad shoulders so it probably didn't hurt him too much. 'Oh well' she thought to herself.

'Maybe it will be safer going to my dorm room.' At that thought Buffy headed to the dormitories to meet her new roommate.

Buffy and her roommate made with the pleasantries and started to unpack and organize their belongings. Buffy made quick work with putting her slayer bag in the closet before any accidents happened and she had to explain all the weapons and wooden stakes lying around. Thank goodness she had brought all her other stuff including her weapons trunk in earlier that would really be something hard to explain.

It started to get dark out by the time she finished putting her things away so she decided to grab some patrol clothes and head out to get the lay of the land. Kathy looks up say "are you really going out now?"

"Um yeah I wanted to grab a snack and get some fresh air. I won't be back too late I promise." Buffy tells her as she makes her way out the door with her clothes and her weapons bag.

Her walk was uneventful tonight with no vamps lurking about but she did get to explore the campus and she felt a little better about not getting lost. She was deep in thought wondering what Angel was doing and how he was doing. 'Did we share dreams again last night? I wish he would've left a forwarding number so I could get in touch with him. Oh well.' She headed back toward the dorm to turn in early to start the new school year tomorrow.

She was dreaming again but this time she knew she was alone with the foggy stuff. Not too long later she felt a presence but this time it was just the voices she was hearing. No forms appeared to her just the feel that someone was with her.

'He is most stubborn your champion. You must convince him of his role. Find a way through his barriers but be strong against the obstacles you will face. Have faith 'little warrior' in yourself and your love.'

Buffy woke with a gasp. 'So we were sharing dreams again last night.' Buffy rolls to her side away from her snoring roommate with a sigh. 'I'm going to have to knock some sense into that man's head.' Then she closed her eyes to fall back into a deep peaceful sleep.

The next morning started off ok until she couldn't find her classes. She was late to most of them now hoping to find her last class and not be late and interrupt the professor speaking. At least now she knows where she was going so the rest of the semester she would be early. Now if she could only find the Psych classroom. As she pauses she hears a voice behind her.

"If you are looking for Psych, it's through here." Riley points in the direction with a smile on his face.

"Oh, thanks." Buffy said and walks through the door not noticing the look on Riley's face.

When she enters she sees Willow waving to her and sighs. 'Better to keep up the pretense.' So she heads in that direction and waits for Professor Walsh to make her speech.

Later that evening Buffy heads out again heading in a different direction. She was debating on calling a taxi to go to the hospital to see Faith or wait till tomorrow after her one class and head there in the afternoon. Not paying attention she bumps into another person.

"Ooh!" Buffy reacts.

"Wow, sorry!" The boy says

"Sorry wasn't paying attention was lost in thought."

"It's ok neither was I paying attention. Trying to find out where the hell I am going." He chuckles.

"Are you lost? Can I help you? Where are you headed? Buffy asks. "Yes, I'm lost and I actually have a map. You can help me read this thing. I'm heading to the Dunwirth building, my dorm. I know where it is but not where I am."

"Ok let's see. I'm Buffy, by the way."

"Eddie"

"Ok" she is looking over the map which was upside down. She turns it the right way and says "I came from right there; it is this way to the bike path we need to go."

They fell into nice conversation learning that they have Psych together and that Eddie has a security blanket of some sorts which turns out to be a book 'Of Human Bondage'. Buffy learns that it is a novel not a porn movie. They laugh together then head in different directions saying good night and that they would look for each other in Psych class.

As she turns and walks away she misses her new friend Eddie bumping into someone else and that someone else is a vampire.

"I'm sorry… did you lose your way?"

The next day in Psych Buffy notices Eddie hasn't come to class. Oz notices her looking around and says "You looking for someone?"

"Yeah"

Willow looks up at her comment and says "you made a friend? Good for you."

Buffy just looks at her and she can see Oz shake his head and she replies "Thanks mom" and walks away.

She wanted to find out what was going on so she went to investigate starting with Eddie's dorm. She comes to the empty room and is told that he packed up and left a note saying that this life was getting to be too much for him and how sorry he was to anyone affected. Buffy walked around the room looking for any type of clue and come to his night stand that was slightly open and notices his novel in the drawer. At that moment she knew something was wrong so absolutely wrong.

Buffy heads to Giles to talk to him but notices he is also preoccupied when a woman is rummaging through his cupboards so she turns to leave without anyone noticing she was there.

Now back in town she decides to head to the hospital to see Faith. Buffy walks in and takes the seat and starts to tell Faith about the past two days. She tells her about Eddie and how wrong it feels. "There is definitely something wonky going on at the campus. It maybe vampires but why would they steal his stuff? I'll get to the bottom of it by myself since everyone else has other things to do. I wish you would wake up. Maybe we could have a new start as long as you don't want to kill me anymore. I'll help you Faith. I will be here for you and maybe eventually Angel too if I can knock some sense into him." She got up to kiss Faith on the forehead and walked out of the room.

She made it back to campus in the evening, Buffy notices a boy walking away and gets the feeling he looks familiar. Then it hits her "Oh my gosh!"

"Eddie," Buffy says running after the boy. "Eddie! Eddie, hey wait up! God I was worried that something happened to you…."

Eddie turns toward her in his vamp face.

"And it has of course, 'cause you're a vampire. I'm sorry"

"I'm not" he replies

Eddie attacks. Buffy uses his move against him and he seems to become unbalanced as she turns and stakes him through the heart. Buffy feels eyes on her and turns around and hears the one phrase every vamp always says to her "Slayer".

They banter, Buffy having an eerie feeling and wanting to regroup before a fight breaks out because there are too many of them standing around her.

They fight and Sunday gets the upper hand by Buffy's distraction. Sunday doesn't let it go as she takes full advantage of her luck and beats on Buffy every chance she gets not letting her be able to regroup. Buffy runs away the first chance she gets with a broken arm, couple of cracked ribs and cuts and bruises from the shattered windshield on the truck Sunday threw her into. Buffy heads back to the dorm to treat her wounds.

Buffy heads out into the daylight and avoids anyone she knows and heads to a familiar place.

She walks into the house and calls out to her mom. No one replies so Buffy heads to her bedroom to get the first aid kit under her bed.

As Buffy goes to open her bedroom door she notices it's full of crates. Sighing she tries to make her way around the crates to get to her closet and starts to pack more of her stuff into a duffle bag.

Just as she's ready to leave the phone rings. "Hello, Hello?" She gets this sensation like a tingle of what happened in her dreams. Before she hangs up the phone she says "Angel" and turns it off and places it back on the charger and heads back to the campus.

She makes it back to the dorms and notices all her stuff was gone. 'Ok that is it! I've had it with this vamp.' Buffy turns to leave with a determined look on her face. Buffy is on a mission!

Buffy is in an office on campus going through files to look for any clues. She makes it to the computer typing away. Noticing the disappearances started around 1982 she walks over to the files looking for anything or a building that could lead to the vampire's whereabouts. She notices an article about a building closed for renovations since 1982. With that knowledge she heads out in search for Sunday and some payback.

She goes up to a boarded up building and looks through the slots in the windows. 'Score!' Buffy sees the vamps going through her things. She needs a better view so she climbs up to the roof from the fire escape. Looking down through the skylight she sees the vamps going through her diary. Seeing the vamps laughing Buffy says "Laugh all you want, this time we play it my way. And the rules are just going to be a little bit…." The skylight starts to crack and Buffy falls through.

"Say, don't I know you from... beating the crap out of you?" Sunday says as she looks at Buffy lying on the ground from the fall.  
Buffy starts to stand and says, "I just thought I'd drop in. Get it? Drop in? Boy, tough room."  
Sunday shakes her head at the pun and says "I must say, you've really got me now. I mean, it's a diabolical plan, throw yourself at my feet with a broken arm and no weapons of any kind. How am I going to get out of this one?"  
Buffy says "You got a nice set-up here, but you made one mistake."  
Sunday looks at her confused "Yeah? What was that?" She says sarcastically.  
"Well, I'm not actually positive, but statistically speaking people usually make at least..." Sunday punches her before she can finish her thought.

When Buffy falls from another hit from Sunday she notices her trunk and starts to crawl towards the chest when she see Sunday holding her 'Class Protector' award.

Sunday looks up at Buffy and says, "Oh, and this. This is my favorite item."

Buffy shakes her head and says, "You don't want to touch that."

Sunday drops it on the floor and stomps down on the handle, breaking it. She moves over to Buffy and grabs her left arm. "You know this arm's not looking so good. It might have to come off."  
Buffy tells her, "You want to know the truth? I only need one."  
She hits Sunday with a roundhouse punch with her right fist, sending her spinning. She rolls to her feet and kicks Sunday in the face and flips her over the couch onto the coffee table. She catches some broken wood from the coffee table with her foot and kicks Sunday in the face with it. Sunday falls into a pile of clutter.  
One of the other vamps in the room observing the fighting says "This is startin' to suck."

Sunday gets up all vamped out. One of the vamps runs in to help. Buffy grabs a tennis racket, steps onto the arm of a chair and roundhouse kicks Sunday and does a backhand swing with the racket into the other vamps face, sending him flying over the couch and braking the frame off the racket making a perfect stake. Sunday moves in for some close-in fighting.

Sunday is lying on the floor with Buffy standing above her. Buffy looks down at her and says "when you look back at this, in the three seconds it'll take you to turn to dust, I think you'll find the mistake was touching my stuff."  
Sunday gets to her feet and rushes Buffy, who swings one-armed at her which Sunday blocks, eventually catching the arm in a hold.  
"What about breaking your arm", as she grabs at Buffy's left arm. "How does that feel."  
"Let me answer that with a head butt." She says as she is sending her head toward Sunday's and causes her to stagger back.

Buffy advances toward her saying, "and for the record", Buffy makes a fist with her left hand, "the arm is hurt", she uppercuts Sunday, sending her flying, "not broken."

After dealing with Sunday and the rest of the vamps start to scatter Buffy gathers her stuff together and makes a call to see if Oz can help her bring it back without alerting anyone else. Oz meets Buffy at the entrance of the abandon fraternity and helps her load up the van with her things and unloads the van when they reach her dorm.

"Thanks Oz for everything"

"It's ok Buffy I understand. They may not see eye to eye with you anymore but you do what you need to do to get Angel back. If you ever need anything call me" he says as Buffy shocks him and gives him a hug.

"Thanks."

"Uh right! Ok! I'm going to…." as he points out the door into the hallway.

"Right" Buffy laughs at Oz's reaction.

The next day Buffy is outside in the shade under a tree working on some homework when her phone goes off. She pulls it out of her pocket and says, "Hello".

"Oh Buffy you'll never guess what mess I got myself into." The other person on the line says frantically.

"Cordy is everything alright? What happened?"

"I ran into Angel the other night at a party. I didn't know he liked parties. The next day I get a call from my agent saying this big shot wants me to come to his mansion to talk about my acting career and guess what happened?"

Buffy's ears had perked up at the mention of Angel's name and him being at a party. "What happened?" she asks exasperated.

"Oh Buffy, he was a vampire, of all my luck I move here to get away from the demons and I end up stuck right in the middle of it again. Oh but don't worry everything is ok. Angel came to save the day like you hero types always do. So, it's been a couple of weeks since I've heard from you what's new."

Buffy told Cordelia what has been going on except for her visits with Faith, no one would understand. She was telling her about that night with Willow on patrol and Cordy had to interrupt her and put her two cents in before she could finish, "Buffy really you need to stop listening to those people and do what is best for you. I know how you feel about Angel and I know he loves you too maybe you need to talk to him some more. State your claim and if he doesn't listen then stake him. Wait! You can't stake him cuz if you do then I won't have a job! Seriously Buffy talk to him."

Buffy laughs at he statement "Cordy are you done, can I finish" Buffy tells her about the dreams and the weird people and the voices in her dreams. "What do you think I should do Cordy?"

"Ok maybe you need to do more than talking. This is seriously getting out of hand."

"Do you think I should come to L.A. this weekend? I can tell everyone that I'm going to my dad's house."

"That's a great idea. I'll have a girl to hang out with now since it's just me and the guys. We can go window shopping."

"Alright Cordy, I'll be there Friday night. My dad's in Spain you want to crash with me this weekend?" Knowing that Cordy was having a hard time maybe this could bring her spirits up. "Just try not to slip and tell Angel I'm coming, please. I'll call my dad and let him know we will be crashing at his house. I'm sure he won't mind."

"Oh Buffy, that would be great. It will get me out of this apartment from hell."

"Ok Cor, I'll see you Friday after classes. I'll call you when I'm in L.A. I'll talk to you later I've got a lot of homework to do." She hangs up the phone with one thing on her mind. 'Together you are strong, alone you are dead.'

Let me know what you think! Next Buffy's gonna knock some sense into Angel!


	5. Listen up Buddy

**Hello everyone. OK so Buffy is going to L.A. to knock some sense into Mr. Nobility. I added a lot to this chapter than I wanted in the beginning. I was going to start episode 2 of Angel when Buffy came to town but my mind got carried away so this will be a two-parter with episode 2 in the next chapter. The second episode of Angel starts on a Friday night which works out perfectly to incorporate Buffy into the episode and also have her talk. I hope all of you enjoy! Just wanted to say thanks for the reviews so far really didn't expect any but I hope to hear more from you!**

**Chapter 5: ****_Listen up Buddy_**

Buffy just finished her last class of the afternoon and was heading back to her dorm to pack her stuff for her weekend in L.A. She is still wondering how she is going to tell everyone. Right now it really doesn't matter because they are not going to make her change her mind. As she walked out the building into the sunshine she heard someone call her name. She looked over and figured one down three to go. "Hi Will"

"Buffy, I was wondering if you wanted to head to the Bronze tonight just you, me, and Xander. Just like old times. What do you say?"

Buffy looked at her trying to figure out what the meaning of this was. She hadn't seen much of Willow in the past couple of days. She actually saw more of Oz then her 'Best Friend'. Buffy sigh and said "Sorry Wills, not this weekend I'm leaving soon to go see my dad in L.A. for the weekend maybe next week."

"Buffy, are sure that's a good idea. Who will patrol and keep the baddies away? Besides isn't there a certain person in L.A. that maybe your reason for going? This isn't healthy Buffy, you need to let it go and move on. There are plenty of other guys around here that seem interested in you why can't you just give them a chance."

"I'm really trying to be nice here Willow but frankly I'm tired of all of you telling me what I need to do! I know Angel is in L.A. and you know what I was hoping maybe I would bump into him there since I'll be spending time with Cordelia and she's working for him now. My relationship or lack of relationship with Angel is no one's business but mine. I haven't seen my dad in a while and he's in town for the weekend so I figured it would be good to have a break for the weekend and spend some time with him and someone else that actually wants me around rather than trying to tell me what I need to do with my life or who I should have in my life."

"Since when are you so friendly with Cordy. You never liked her before. Now all of a sudden she's working with Angel so you are going to use her to get to him. Buffy really that's very immature of you."

"Ok you want honesty; I've been talking to Cordy since she moved to L.A. and before she started working with Angel. Cordy listens to me and doesn't judge me or my decisions. She has been a good friend to me all summer and I have tried to be there for her as well. I actually know what is going on in her life can you say the same? Can you honestly say you know what is going on with anyone else but yourself? I've tried to come to you and talk to you but you never return my calls and only when it's convenient for you. Gosh I've seen Oz more than you the past couple of days. What happen to you Willow? Maybe you should take some time to think about what has been going on with other people than just you. Stop trying to tell me what I should want, need, or do with my life. Those are my decisions to make no one else. Now if you will excuse me I have packing to do and go see Giles."

Willow watched her walk away with a confused look on her face. She turned in the direction of her last class and stomped away with an angry look on her face.

Buffy made it to the dorm hoping that her roommate was still in class and she wouldn't have to face her today. She was in luck no one here. She went into the closet to grab her duffle bag and started to pack her weekend clothes. She was going through her dresses and decided to head back home to pick up more clubbing attire and some shoes. She was going to have fun even if it killed her.

She pulled her phone out of her bag and called Giles to let him know that she would be over within the hour. She hung up to call the number Cordy had given her to call once she figured out when she would be coming. Cody picked up saying "Angel investigations how may I help you?"

"Cordy it's me."

"Oh Boooonie, how are you doing?"

Buffy laughs, "Nice save there I take it Angel is around."

"Oh yes I know"

Buffy notices someone else's voice coming through the phone "Cordelia this is not for personal calls unless you want me to take it out of your pay"

Buffy is laughing, "Oh boy you did it. I was just calling to let you know I'll be there before dark. I have to check in with Giles and head home to grab some dresses and shoes cuz we are having fun this weekend. I'll let you go so Mr. Broody Pants won't dock your pay."

"HA, HA, HA! I'll see you tonight. Call me when you arrive, Bye."

Buffy ended the call laughing really hard. 'Oh Angel you are in for one hell of a weekend.' She gathers her duffle bag and her backpack and walks out of the room first stop to Giles' apartment.

She got there in record time and knocked. Ever since she walked in with the woman there she didn't feel comfortable walking in anymore. Giles answered the door "hello Buffy. Please come in."

"Giles I really appreciate you letting me go see my dad in…." Buffy stopped immediately once she noticed the audience in the room. 'Oh great here we go. Really did she have to tell Xander as well?' "Hi guys, what's up?"

"Willow called and said that she was concerned about your recent behavior and we thought that getting together and talking would help clear the air." Giles replied.

"No you see, right now I'm in a hurry got a bus to catch in an hour…"

"Right a bus to L.A. were a certain vampire is living. Wow, what a coincidence." Xander replied sarcastically.

"You know what; I already talked to Giles about going to see my father now that he is in town for the weekend I don't have to explain it to you. You're not my keeper." Buffy bites back.

"Yes you did tell me about your father. Willow has brought it to my attention that you planned a weekend with Cordelia and she is now employed with Angel."

"I just found out a couple of days ago when Cordy called and told me she was attacked. I've been talking to her all summer since she left. Honestly she's really been the only friend I've had all summer."

"Hey, that's not fair! I haven't been her all summer so don't try to blame me." Xander yells at her.

"I'm not trying to blame anyone. Everyone has grown apart or is too busy for each other and I understand that. You know when your not so busy is when you all think that you can tell me how I should live my life and whom I should not live it with. I love you all really but it's my life and it's my decisions to make. The only time you seem to mind is when it comes to Angel and frankly that is none of anyone's business."

"Not our business! It is when we have to clean up your messes after you get groiny with him and he's all Mr. Evil. Do you not remember the people he killed or how much he terrorized us?" Xander yells.

"You know what I don't need this from any of you right now. I'm sorry Giles I love you and I know you understand but I'm not going to be involved in this intervention that everyone seems to need to do only to me." Buffy starts to walk toward the door to leave.

"She's right. No one has a right to criticize Buffy about her choices and how to live her life. We are all hypocrites if we do. I'm no different than Angel. I'm a wild beast but I contain my self when I need to but sometimes I get out but no one gives me a hard time for not controlling it. Angel lives with is demon everyday and he controls it everyday. Yeah Angelus got out but no one was prepared for that and now we know. I don't think Buffy would ever put anyone else in danger like that year. I say if she and Angel love each other that much and willing to go through the obstacles I'm rotting for them." Oz says looking around at the people he calls his friends. He gets up and stands by Buffy.

Buffy looks at him in shock and says, "Wow Oz, I've never heard you say so much at one time but thanks I really appreciate your support."

Giles sighs and pulls out his handkerchief and polishes his glasses. "He's right, I'm sorry Buffy."

"Well I'm not going to stick around and wait to die when Deadboy loses his soul." Xander says getting up and heading for the door.

Willow looks around with a sad face with tears in her eyes and gets up to follow after Xander.

Buffy walks over to the sofa and sits with her hands in her face. "Giles there is more that you need to know about me and Angel and what has been happening this past week. So let me get this all out before you interrupt me." Oz came around to sit back down to listen to what Buffy had to say.

She tells them everything about the dreams she's been having, the voices in the dreams, and the weird figures in the first dream. Giles gets up to go over to his bookcase looking for a certain volume. He finds it and sits down rummaging through it looking for something specific.

He hands Buffy the book for her to read, "Are these the entities that you saw in your dreams?"

Buffy looks over the page and the picture of the figures and looks up at Giles and says "Yes these are the figures. They say that they are the Oracles. The Oracles of what?"

Buffy feels a tug at the book and looks to Oz sitting next to her and picks her arms up so that he can read the passage.

"There always has been talk of higher beings that serve the purpose of good as there are those for evil. These beings are messengers for those powers. No one has been able to verify if these being exist recently because no one has had contact with them until now. How extraordinary! I'll do more research while you are away. Do you plan on speaking with Angel about this while you are visiting your father?"

Buffy feeling a little guilty at lying to the one person that has been a father rather than her own and says, "Actually..Um..That is kind of the reason I'm going to L.A." Buffy feels her phone vibrate in her pocket and pulls it out. It reads 1:30. "Oh shoot I'm going to miss my bus!"

"It's Ok Buffy, I can drop you off at your dad's I could use the long ride." Oz offers her.

"Really, thanks Oz. Can we stop by my house I need to grab a couple of things if I can get into my room?"

Oz nods.

"Buffy if you need any assistance with Angel or if he wants to call please do. I know I have not been the best supporter of you and Angel after the incident but it seems that it is pretty frivolous now with the circumstances. I will speak to the others and try to defuse the situation as best as I can if they want to speak to me." Giles says assuring Buffy that he is going to help her and be there for her if she needs him.

Buffy got up to hug him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Giles so much. I'll call if I need to and to check in. Ready to go Oz?"

Oz nods at Buffy and gets up and follows Buffy out of Giles apartment.

They make it to Buffy's house and she makes quick work of grabbing a couple of dresses, her leather pants and the variety of shoes to match which would also give Cordy something to choose from.

When Buffy gets back in the van after putting her suitcase in the back she turns to look at Oz and says, "I really appreciate you doing this for me. I've got $50 to help out with the gas." She hands him the money.

Oz looks at her wearily then at the money. "Buffy you don't have to pay me. It might do me some good to get out of town as well so don't worry about the money."

"Oz you are lugging me and my army of shoes and clothes it's the least I could do. Please!" She pouts at him and he takes the money. She smiles at him and he puts the van in drive and pulls out of the driveway.

Buffy fell asleep on the ride to L.A. and Oz has to wake her as they come to the city limits. "Buffy! Buffy! I don't know where we are going so just point me in the direction to your dad's house."

"Can you just drop me off at Angel's I have to call Cordy first she'll tells us where we need to go." She pulls out her phone and calls the agency and Cordy gives them the directions to Angel Investigations.

The pull up in front of the building and Cordy comes out "Oz! How are you? You didn't bring Willow too did you?"

"Uh no, just Buffy, her shoes, clothes, and me." They all laugh at that since Buffy did say that he was lugging it all here.

"Thanks Oz I really appreciate it. Do you have somewhere to stay cuz if you don't my dad's house is big enough and has plenty of room for all three of us." Buffy wants to at least give him the option to have somewhere to stay other than a hotel.

"Na that's Ok my cousin lives a couple of blocks from here and I called to let him know I was going to stay in town for the weekend. I can stay with him I usually do when I'm with the band."

"Ok if you're sure. Cordy can you grab the suitcase in the back? I'll get the rest."

"Sure Buffy no problem. You do know that he's here right?"

"Yeah might as well get this done now than we can have fun."

The girls grab Buffy's belongings and head toward the open door that is being held by a strangely dressed man.

She could feel him very close and the mixed feeling that are coming off of him too. 'This is strange I was never able to feel his emotions before.' Happy, sad, apprehensive all rolled into other emotions that are jumbled together.

When they entered the second door she saw him standing there just away from the sunlight staring at her.

"Angel"

"Buffy"

"Cordelia and this strange man is Doyle. Now that we know each other Buffy can go do what she came here to do." She looks at Buffy with a smile leans in to whisper "Don't stake him. I can't afford it."

Buffy chuckles and looks up at Angel to see the look of horror on his face.

"Buffy what are you doing here? I'd ask how you found me but that question has been answered already."

Before Buffy could respond Cordy dropped the suitcase and marched in front of Angel with her hands on her hips. "You listen here and you listen good! There is a really good reason and you need to LISTEN! Besides do you honestly think you are the only reason she is here. Who do you think I've been talking to?"

Angel's eyes widen and you can hear Doyle chuckle in the background. "So this is Bonnie is it? I didn't know you guys were ever friend."

"You know Angel things happened when you lose the people you love or in my case everything I own." Cordy snaps at him.

"Ok I can feel the tension so I'll make nice and say it's so wonderful to finally meet you lass. I've been given the cliff notes version but I'm hoping to learn more. I'm Doyle; I work here with Angel and Cordy. I'm a link to the Powers for Angel."

Buffy stares at him with wide eyes and she says "The Powers, Cordy why didn't you tell me I would have come sooner?"

"Buffy please you're jumping the gun and you needed to you know talk to him first,"

"What do you know about the Powers?" Doyle asks curious.

"I've been having these dreams of this foggy mist stuff and hearing voices in my head when I'm sleeping. I just talked to Giles, my watcher, about the dreams cuz we got into a heated argument when another intervention happened. Anyways, Giles said that the people that I had been seeing in my dreams were the Oracles and they spoke for the Powers."

"Buffy we need to talk"

"Yes Angel we most certainly do. Is there somewhere we can talk in private?"

Angel sighs, "My apartment is downstairs we can talk there."

They walk towards the elevator and Angel holds the door so Buffy can enter. The ride was quick and filled with lots of tension. He holds it open again for her to exit and she walks toward the kitchen table and takes a sit and Angel follows her lead.

"Do you remember anything about the soul dream?"

"I only remembered bits of it when I woke up the next morning but I remembered it all this morning. I know what the Oracles said but not much has changed for the two of us. I stand by my decision for you to move on…."

"Stop please. You need to listen and listen really good to what I have to say because I just might stake you in the end!" Buffy says trying to keep herself calm and cool.

"I know why you left and that makes me love you even more because you are so selfless. This is an obstacle for us but I know that we can over come it if you just listen to reason. I will never have a normal life. I will never be able to have the husband and kids and I've accepted that since the day we met. The normal life that I have had was when I was with you. You make me feel normal. All the other things that come with a normal life like mom, Giles and my friends they don't make me feel normal. I feel like I'm on the outside looking in. I can't be myself all the way because they don't understand me as a whole. They understand the nonslayer Buffy but not the whole package like you do for me. Besides right now the only friends I have right now are Cordy and Oz. They understand me and how I feel and that I should make my own decisions. I'm not saying that this is going to be easy and that's one of the things the female Oracle told me that there will be obstacles…"

"Wait, I don't remember her mentioning any obstacles in the dream."

"She spoke to only me the following night. She said that I needed to find a way to get through your barriers and to stay strong against the obstacle that we will face. I think I did pretty well with one of them today. I at least got through Giles and now that he knows about everything 'he is most concerned for our welfare'"

"Buffy there are reasons for those barriers. When I'm with you sometimes I can't control the emotions that I am feeling and that scares me beyond belief. It's not just being physical with you it's so much more. When you smile and laugh it makes me happy and carefree and that is what leads to Angelus. I understand that you think you can't have a normal life but I wanted you to explore the many pleasures you can find now because you may not get to because of your calling. I limit you to these pleasures and all I really want is you to be happy not holding back because of me and my curse."

"There are ways around your curse Angel I'm sure. Why would the Oracles or the Powers for the matter want us to be together if they felt that Angelus was an issue? Grant it he is because I don't him running ah muck. Besides I'm sure he would have a much different opinion than you right about now am I right?"

"How did you know?"

"Can't you feel it Angel? Can't you feel the change in us and I'm not talking physically? I felt not just your presence when I arrived but I felt your emotions as well."

"Oh God Buffy what is going on?"

"What was Angelus feeling when you felt my presence?"

"He was happy, or overjoyed to put it mildly and a lot of other things I won't mention."

"That's why I got all the mixed emotions I couldn't figure out. Don't you see this changes everything! We don't have to jump into anything right away. Angel, I wasn't lying in the dream when I said I wanted you in my life anyway I can have you."

"Buffy we are two hours away from each other how can you think this could work?"

"The distance is an obstacle we have to over come. Come on Angel think! Will you stop making excuses all the time! You either want me in your life or you don't which is it?"

"Of course I want you in my life but I'm the only one that seems to be thinking rationally here!"

"God she was right!"

"Who was right?"

"The female Oracle she said 'He is most stubborn your champion'. But stubborn doesn't begin to describe you right now! I just wish there was a way to talk to them without waiting for the dreams to come."

"There might be a way. Doyle is a link to the Powers maybe he can reach them or the Oracles some how."

"Now you're using your brain! Lets go see if they are still here."

The make their way to the offices and Doyle, Oz and Cordelia are all sitting in the outer office talking.

"Doyle is there a way that you can talk to the Powers or the Oracle? Somebody needs some convincing and a stake through the heart if this doesn't work!" Buffy says irritated at Angel and his excuses.

They all chuckle at Buffy and Doyle says "Angel she's a keeper. She's going to keep you in line just with the threatening to stake you if you don't listen to her. She's a spitfire. To answer your question slayer, I can do better I can take you to speak to them."

**So sorry but it's getting late, my fingers can't type much more, and it's been a long day and I'm tired. I hate cliffhangers and the other stories I read do it to me all the time. I promise I won't do it again but I wanted to post this tonight. Next time I'll be patient I promise. Please review I love any feedback.**


	6. Is There an Echo?

**Hello Everyone. I know I may have disappointed some people with Angel giving into Buffy and their relationship but hold on its not over yet. There will be plenty of obstacles for our favorite lovers to go through. I got to get them out of my head. I'm also trying to say true to characters even though some of their relationships have changed. I like Cordy in the beginning of Angel but not 3 and forward. She seems like she maturing but all I see is her being like Buffy. I wanted to have a friendship that they can both relate too with their history. So I hope you enjoy and please any comments are always welcome. **

**Chapter 6:****_ Is There an Echo?_**

For once Buffy had hope and she had some people on her side. Doyle is leading the couple to an entrance under ground.

"The doorway to the Oracles is under the post office?" Angel looks at Doyle and Doyle just shrugs.

"It kind of makes sense when you think about it." Buffy says looking at the two males.

"I can great you access but I can not go in there. You guys are the champions so you are on your own. We beseech access the knowing ones." Doyle tosses some sand into this podium and pulls a lighter out of his pocket and lights she sand. A loud bomb echoes throughout the underground along with bright lights that shine for the doorway to the Oracles. Buffy and Angel enter the doorway and disappeared along with the doorway.

They stood in a marble looking entryway with arches that may lead to different areas and pillars standing in front of the entrances. "Welcome warriors."

Buffy and Angel turned to face the female Oracle.

"We were hoping that you would seek us out after our messages. It will be just me speaking as now you know my brother does not with to interfere with the beings on this Earth. We know you have many questions and are looking for answer but there is only certain ways we can guide you.

You both have fears of your relationship not just your romantic one which I find very curious but also with your intertwined destinies. We only request you to heed the warnings with understanding but we can not make you choose your path. That is for you alone to choose. We can show you a path that your lives can take if you continue to choose the path that you are heading."

She steps toward and looks deeply at him and says "you have misgivings of yourself not just the soul but the demon as well you must consider him as an equal in your decision. Stay strong and decide not only with your logic but what you feel inside". She places her hand on his forehead and scenes start to fill his mind.

He sees Buffy fighting alone night after night with less enthusiasm and heart he knows her to have had in the past. The vision fast-forwards to her diving off of a tower, crawling out of her grave, many shots of her walking around alone and sad, crying her self to sleep, fighting with Spike, having violent sex with Spike, being violated by Spike, being shot and being alienated by her friends and a lot of girls in her house he has never seen then leaving the house alone with her arms wrapped around her.

The vision ends when the Oracle takes her hands from his forehead and says "is that the path you want her to go? Does your demon agree with the choices that you have made? In order to overcome your curse you must become one with your demon."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Angel questions the Oracle.

"That champion you must figure out on your own." She replies and waves her hand and he goes flying out and on to the ground where Doyle is waiting.

"Did it not work? What happened?"

"We were in there for a while speaking with the female Oracle."

"Man you and Buffy just went in there. Why didn't the lass return with you?"

"Time must move differently there. Apparently the Oracle wanted to speak to her without me being involved."

"Can you blame them?"

Back with the female Oracle Buffy asks, "Where did Angel go?"

"He is back in your time with the seer. We must speak alone if you are determined to make your champion change his path. I just showed him a possibility of your future that he must consider but you 'little warrior' are you ready to choose your path?"

"I will do anything to have him in my life even if we can not be together romantically."

"You must come to peace with the past and your feelings of guilt for letting the demon free. You must find the answer you seek by opening up to your champion not only to the soul but of the demon as well. The demon can be freed if he does not come to terms with all of his being. You also may have to free the demon to get answers that your champion is not ready to give you. Are you prepared to accept all of him, the human man he was, the demon, and the soul?"

"I've never had the problem of loving all of him. Angelus makes it difficult but he is a part of Angel. I said this several times I will do anything to have him in my life."

"Then you are ready stay strong 'little warrior' and may luck shine on you."

Buffy appeared in the underground staring at the wall in front of them.

"Well I guess we know who her favorite is" Doyle snickers.

Buffy turns to face them and heads through the cavern and to the tunnels that will lead them through the sewer and up to Angel's apartment.

The walk back to the office was quiet. Both Angel and Buffy deep in thought about how they were going to interpret the Oracles message. Buffy is walking with determination and resolve. 'I hope he doesn't think he's going to get out of this easily. I will find a way to get answers and if I have to free Angelus to get them so be it.'

They made it back to Angel's apartment and Doyle quickly makes his way to the stairs to leave them alone to discussion their situation.

"Would you like something to drink Cordelia makes me stock the fridge so that there is juice, soda and water?"

"Water will be fine thanks."

He gets the water and hands it to her trying to decide what he wants to say.

Buffy turns the cap and takes several gulps to clear her dry mouth getting ready for a battle.

"Buffy you know the reasons why I left Sunnydale are not only for your benefit but also to protect everyone from Angelus. I'm not really sure what the Oracle means by becoming one with my demon. My concern is what my demon wants to do if he is allowed to be free again."

"What is that Angel? What does Angelus want to do if he becomes free again? I'm not afraid of him anymore. I really don't think I was ever afraid of him even knowing what he was capable of doing to me and the people around me. Honestly I think he was more conflicted with his feelings. The way that you are right now. I feel anger coming off of you why?"

"It's not me it's him."

"See right there that is your problem. I feel like I'm better dealing with Angelus right now rather than you! It doesn't matter what I say or anyone else for that matter you made up your mind haven't you? I don't understand why you are being so difficult. There is a way to end all this misery and be together. We even have friends that want us to be together and right now I'm sure that Angelus wants to be here more than you! There are no obstacles around us to fight through Angel you are the biggest obstacle that is holding us back. I don't know what the Oracle showed you but when your vision ended it looked like you were going to be sick. Can you live with me having that future what ever it was?"

"No Buffy I would never want you to deal with the pain that I saw you go through but we have to be understanding in this situation not just for us as a couple but for everyone involved. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for you but Angelus is a monster and all he does is causes pain and torment to anyone he sees. I don't want anyone to go through that again. We need to figure out another way to get rid of him before I even consider this."

"You know what Angel all I seem to be doing is repeat my self over and over again with you but I want answers and if you can't give them to me I will find a way to get Angelus out and get them from him. He's the only one that has been completely honest with me. You say that you love me and want to be with me but you can't be honest with me and listen to what I have to say." With that and her frustration she turned and walked away making her way to the stairs.

"Buffy wait! Wait!"

"I'm done talking to you right now. You have nothing to say that I want to hear. Don't worry Angelus for once we are on the same side."

Buffy makes it to the offices upstairs with the other three waiting. "I'm ready to go now I can't talk to him anymore right now. I just want to stake him the pinhead."

Everyone laughs at that while Buffy still has a scowl on her face.

"We need to go out, relax and have fun." Cordy says trying to light the mood.

"Let's go to a club I brought lots of shoes for you to choose from and we can go shopping first all expense a la daddy."

"I'll drop you off at your dad's Buffy before I head to my cousin apartment" Oz offers.

"If it's not too much trouble. Do you want to get something to eat first? I haven't eaten since breakfast my treat." Buffy replies

"Sure let's get your stuff back into the van and we can head out."

Doyle grabs one of the bags and helps the girls out. Buffy pulls Doyle aside and asks "you know L.A. pretty good right?"

"Yeah what do you need?"

"I need a way to bring out Angelus. Angel is not cooperating and the Oracle seems to think the only way for him to bind Angelus is for him to become one with the demon. I can't get the answers I want from Angel and Angelus is all about the truth just to hurt you so I'm was hoping to get some help from him."

"He didn't mention that part to me. I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks Doyle I really appreciate it."

"Your welcome lass. Someone has got to get through to him somehow."

Buffy, Cordelia and Oz get into the van and pull away the curb and into traffic.

Angel sits alone in the dark in his office. Doyle comes in and turns the light on, causing Angel to blink form the sudden light.  
"Hey, you know, maybe we should go over this thing again of you getting out in the world and involving yourself with people. It's Friday night. It's the most social night of the week! Stop being the brooding vampire maybe focus on a case to get your mind of the lass and you avoidance issues. They are all going out having fun hey what about us?"

Doyle moans and kicks the desk then falls back.  
Angel jumps to grab him: "He, hey, hey, Doyle!"  
You see the vision of the outside of a nightclub.  
"Are you okay, man?" Angel asks with concern in his voice  
"Yeah, I'm okay." Doyle replies with a shaky voice  
"What did you see? What did you see?"  
"It's a bar. Uh, I think I recognize it. It's one of those terminally-stuck- in-the-eighties places."  
"Yeah, and?"  
"That's it. No faces popped out at me, man. Just, just a feeling"  
"What feeling?"  
"Something's going to happen." Angel pauses to consider his response.  
"Looks like you got your wish. Looks like we're going out after all."

Camera pans to Angel and Doyle coming down the steps leading into the club.  
"All right. Look, let's split up. Look for someone that might be in trouble." Angel says.  
"Or for something that's about to cause it."  
Angel steps up to the bar.  
"What can I get you?" Asks the bartender  
"Um, I'm just wondering, have you noticed anything unusual tonight?"  
"Unusual?"  
"Yeah, you know, - out of the ordinary – possibly even - dangerous?"  
"Don't worry. It's early yet. The real hot women don't mosey in until around 11:00."

A little while later.

Angel is standing by the bar. A guy is walking away from him shaking his head.  
"No seriously, I wasn't hitting on you!" Massages the bridge of his nose with a sigh and leans back against the bar.  
A blonde girl sitting at the bar with a drink asks "Are you okay?"  
"What?"  
"No, no, nothing. - Sorry."  
"No. Am I okay?"  
"Well you just looked…bad. Not that you look bad, you look very nice…I think I'm just going to have my drink."  
"Thanks."

"For thinking you look bad, or thinking you look good?"  
"You choose. I'm Angel."  
"I'm…I'm Kate. So do you come here a lot?"  
"First time. It's really…"  
"Yeah. I prefer those cool bars that are hard to get into, but I can't get into them. Anyway, this is close to home. So, did you…did you just stop in?"  
"I'm sort of looking for someone."  
"I'm sorry, if am I keeping you…"  
"No, no, no, I'm just looking for someone to rescue? Are you maybe in need of some rescuing?"  
Kate stares at him in disbelief and says, "Well that's the strangest line I'm going to hear tonight."  
"No, it's not a line. I'm…"  
"Oh, I didn't mean... That was harsh."

"No, hey, you know…I'm not very good at this…talking."  
"Well, I'm the expert. I'm sure you can see. Well, the answer is no, I don't need rescuing. I gave up on the knight in shining armor concept a while ago. Anyway I don't expect to find him here at the international house of posers."  
"People can surprise you."  
"I sound like a big hypocrite, don't I? Ragging on this place, I still come here most every night. How else are you going to meet somebody outside of work? It's either this, or sit at home alone in the dark."  
Angel looking at the ceiling: "Hmm. Wouldn't want that."  
"So what do you do?"  
"Do?"  
"For a living."  
"I…ah…well, basically I…um…I help…I'm a veterinarian."  
"Really. Well, I always say a man that loves animals, is a man you can trust."

"I guess I just…I just have a hard time, you know…trusting people. Male people particularly. In a place like this, it's not like anyone is just going to come up to you and show you who they really are. Every body is too busy to get, I don't know…what ever it is they are looking for."  
"What are you looking for?"  
"Depends on how many Daiquiris I've had. Oh, god, way to come off like a drunken slut. Slut's better then a hypocrite though, right? I'm moving up."

"Kind of hard on yourself."  
"That's me a self-flagellating-hypocrite-slut. What was your question?"  
"What are you looking for?"  
"I guess I'm just trying to make a connection. The more I come to places like this the harder it gets. What about you?"  
Angel sighs, "Honestly I'm still trying to figure that one out."  
"Would you? I'm sorry. Forget it."  
"What?"  
"I was just going to ask you…if you would like to go some place…more quiet."  
"Um, I can't. - I have got to stay here."  
"Right."  
"I would…"  
"No, that's okay."

Just as he was about to reply he looks up to see a pair of hazel eyes glaring daggers at him. He sighs knowing that this isn't going to be pretty.

Buffy walks right past him to an intercepting Doyle.

"It's not what you think lass. We're here on a case just looking for information" Doyle tells her rather quickly.

"He looked pretty comfortable to me. Did you get a chance to find anything for me because I'd like to get this done maybe tomorrow and if I have to head home early I will leave? I don't want to be somewhere I'm not wanted." Buffy says hotly to him.

"I heard of something that might work but I still have to get it and it's not cheap."

"Don't worry about the price Doyle I'll pay whatever it comes out to be. My absentee father sent me some money so I'll take care of it. So what is this case you are working on?

"Not sure yet but you came here to relax and have fun go hang out with Cordelia."

"You like her don't you?"

"I do but I don't think she does."

"Stranger thing have happened trust me."

Buffy walks away and heads toward Cordelia out on the dance floor.

Back to Angel as Buffy walks past him to go talk to Doyle.

"So I take it she is what you're still trying to figure out huh."

"She is, our relationship is very complicated."

"Well good luck with whatever you're trying to figure out. I'm sorry to bother you."

"You're not bothering me but thanks I need all the luck I can get."

He turns around in search for the others and notices Buffy and Cordelia on the dance floor. He scans the area to find Doyle. He spots him and waves him over.

"Did you find out anything?"

"Nothing yet there really isn't many people in here. You don't have to make this difficult with her all the time. You love her right?"

"You know I do so why do you ask?"

"If the Oracle said that it was safe that becoming one with your demon would help bind him than its true. These are being for the Powers they have nothing to gain by Angelus getting out if they believed he was a danger to their mission. They would have everything to loose."

"Buffy told you. Not surprised she'll take as many allies as she can."

"She's smart that mate of yours."

"Wait. I didn't say anything…."

"You don't need to. She's marked and you have a connection a lot stronger than I've ever seen on any being. I'm sure someone else is screaming at you to claim her."

"Doyle I don't understand what is going on. This connection we have for some reason it grew strong when we were apart. She can actually feel not just my feeling but Angelus' as well. I need to look into this more. I was thinking about calling Giles and see what he has to say about it."

"You need to figure this out between the two of you. Having outside influence will not help your cause. You need to be honest with the lass in every way possible. What I mean is all of you including your demon."

Angel reflects on that as he's watching Buffy and Cordelia walk toward the bar. The girls take a seat. The bartender comes over to them to get their order.

"What can I get for you two beautiful ladies?" The bartender turns at the feral growl coming from Angel.

"Ignore him he gets jealous easily and he has not right too. I'll have a Sprite please. Cordy do you want something?"

"Can I just get some water?"

"Sure coming right up." He leaves to get their requests and the girls turn towards the men.

"We're not going to find anything here. They probably already left." Angel says looking around the dead bar.

"Ok I'm beat. I had my fun and I'm ready to leave. Buffy you ready to go?" Cordy asks.

"Do you guys need a ride?" Angel asks.

"No I've got my dad's escalade. We'll be fine." Buffy replies getting up off the bar stool.

Angel watches her and Cordelia walk out the door noticing that Buffy had a little more swing to her step. Angel gulps and sighs. "Let's go."

The next morning, Angel, Cordelia and Doyle are in the front office trying to figure out their next move while Buffy is occupying Angel's office to do homework.

Cordelia is sitting in front of a computer while Doyle is looking through some news papers.

"This is completely whacked, man. I don't even know what I'm looking for anymore."  
Angel comes to stand behind Cordy: "You're looking for any events in and around that bar."  
"Okay, I'm in the news group search engine. Now what is the name of that place again?" Asks Cordy.  
"D'oblique. Capital D, apostrophe, o-b-l-i…"  
"Not so fast. Okay, Capital D…apostrophe, apostrophe, apostrophe…oh, I got it. Okay. Now what's after that again?"  
Doyle gets up and walks up the keyboard "You know I need a break. Let me – ah – let me get in here." Turns the keyboard towards him and starts typing really fast.  
"How'd you pick up computer skills?" Angel asks shocked at how fast he typed.

"Downloading pictures of naked women?" Cordy asks with a smile.  
"Well, that's more or less accurate. Hello! We've got two hits." He clicks on the first one.  
"Look at that. Search continues for Heather Nolan, missing since late last month the 24-year-old paralegal that vanished after leaving a downtown bar called D'oblique." Angel reads of the screen.  
"A missing girl, that sounds a little more up your alley" Cordelia states.  
"What's the second one say?" Angels says ignoring her comment.  
"Badly mutilated body found in the dumpster nearly three weeks ago, described by the coroner's office as eviscerated, has been positively identified as that of 28-year-old Martin Haber, last seen with an unidentified female companion at D'oblique, a trendy singles establishment."  
"That's it then. Probably a lot more disappearances that the press hasn't traced back to the bar yet."  
"So, we got a missing girl and a stiff." Doyle replies in a deadpan voice.  
"An eviscerated stiff. Go downstairs and use the library. Try to narrow down a list of eviscerating demons, ones that might have reasons to prey on young singles. Now we know more than we did last night so we'll go back to the club and stake it out again tonight."

"We can look for more information. I've got a couple of people I know that I can talk to and see if the word is around yet." Doyle replies as he heads into Angel's office to talk to Buffy.

"Hey lass want to accompany a fellow on a mission. I could use some muscle if things get out of hand."

"Sure can you give me a couple of minutes to finish this section?"

"I'll wait for you in the office."

Five minutes later Buffy comes out with her bag. "Thanks Angel for the use of your desk. I'm ready now Doyle." And they walk out to parts unknown.

**Ok I've gone into more detail but I couldn't help it. Next chapter will find out more answers and can Angel finally give them both what they want? Thanks for reading reviews are always welcome tell me what you think. **


	7. The Demon Within

**Hello Everyone! I just want to say thank you to all that have been reading my story. I thank you for your continued support. Sorry it took so long but I needed a break and life got in the way. I'm hoping to hop back on this weekend and try to relax. As always your reviews are always welcome. Thank you again for taking the time to read my first fanfic.**

**Chapter 7:****_ The Demon Within_**

Buffy and Doyle were walking the streets headed to a scarier side of town. Doyle stopped her and said "This place we are going is crowded with demons and humans a like. They serve the shadier people of L.A. You need to try to keep your slayer senses to a minimal. They will be able to sense your apprehension and your strength. All we need to do is get this drug and then we get out as soon as possible before all hell breaks loose."

"Alright let's get this over with. The faster we get this the quicker I get my answers and you guys can focus on the case."

Buffy hands Doyle the cash and they walk into the bar and Buffy sits at the bar and orders a drink knowing that she won't even touch it as Doyle heads to a table in the back that hold four other demons. A demon with grayish blue reptilian skin makes his way to the bar to sit next to Buffy. She turns to look at him and smiles even though her insides are telling her to get the hell out.

"Hello there beautiful. My name is Makkus what's yours?"

Buffy looks back to him and smiles "Anne nice to meet you."

"Are you new in town? I haven't seen you in these parts before."

"I'm just visiting a friend for the weekend. I stopped here to get a drink before I continued my journey."

Knowing full well she might make it look real she took a sip of her drink and coughed.

"First time always is the worst. You don't feel the burn after the first sip."

"Thanks I'll try to remember that." Buffy replies seeing that Doyle was making his way to the door. "It was nice to meet you maybe I'll see you again while I'm in town."

The Makkus grabbed a napkin and wrote his name and number down then handed her it back to her. "Give me a call some time."

She reaches for it, gets up and walks out the door without looking back.

Outside the bar Buffy takes large gulping breathes to get her emotions and her heart under control. She sees the trash can next to her shreds the napkin and throws it in the trash.

"That was quick thanks. I really don't know how long I could've lasted in there. My senses where on overdrive and I was having a hard time controlling them."

"Let's get out of here we got what we came for."

Doyle hands the vile to Buffy saying "Now all you have to do is slip this in his blood and it should make him a little drowsy. It works quickly so when he realizes what's happening it will already be too late. He's going to get really pissed at the both of us but this maybe your only chance to make him come to terms with you and his demon. Just do me a favor what until after Delia and I leave for lunch this way there are no distractions."

"Alright, we'll go back to the office and I'll go downstairs to get something to drink ask him if he wants some blood and then slip it in then. When I head downstairs, that's your cue to get Cordy out. Take her out to lunch that'll be your first step. Take her somewhere nice not fast food."

They make their way to the office. Once inside Cordy is still working on the computer or at least trying to work on the computer.

"What did you do all day in computer class?"

"Haha very funny."

Buffy walks towards Angel's office and notices that he's reading her Literature book.

"You want to do my homework while you're at it since I haven't started to read that yet?"

"You should it's a great novel. Sorry I saw it peeking out of your bag and I haven't read this in a while. I lost my copy."

"You can borrow it when I finish it and any homework that comes with it promise. I'm going to get something to drink you want something?"

"Sure"

Buffy heads out and down the stairs and hears Doyle tell Angel that he and Cordy were heading out to lunch.

She makes quick work with mixing his blood and getting herself something to eat and drink. She heads back up the stairs with the cup of blood and hands it to him.

She picks up her bag and says "I'm going to do more homework and eat lunch at the table if you don't mind. This way you can finish reading or working."

"That's fine I just might head down too."

Buffy sighs with relief knowing that they would be in the same proximity and it might avoid a lot more hassle.

Buffy sits at the table while Angel makes his way to the couch with his blood and the Buffy's book he was reading. Just as he was about to relax he started to feel weird and looks up to see Buffy staring very intently at him.

"What did you do?"

"I told you that if you couldn't give me the answers I need I would find a way to get them. I think Angelus would be more forth coming than you maybe being buried inside like him you could see reason." She says as she's walking toward him on the couch.

"Please Angel, don't fight this it's for the best and you knew that this was going to happen if you didn't cooperate."

"So you decided to drug me. Buffy what happened to you."

"I had to grow up and think about where my life was heading. I was going to live my life without you and everyone else if I had to buy now I know that I don't have to so I made a decision. The Oracle is the one that gave me the idea. She asked me if I was ready to help and that I may have to free Angelus because the other way would have been impossible am I right Lover."

"Look at you all grown up. Not the naïve little girl from a year and half ago. I like this new look on you Buff. Do what ever it takes to get your man what happens if the man doesn't want you."

"Really Lover you never once did lie to me are you going to start now?"

"Your right but what makes you think I'll tell you what you want to hear? You may not like what I have to say. Not just about the answers you want but about your true love. What do I get in return? You expect me to give you what you want but what do I get?"

"Ok Angelus I'll bite what do you want?"

"Do you really have to ask Lover? You feel it don't you? Your pulse has been racing ever since you sensed my presence. You senses are on overdrive but what are they actually telling you?" Angelus says getting off the couch and walking or it's more like stalking toward Buffy.

"You don't want to say it do you? Are you ashamed of it and all you can do is taunt me about it." She replies walking backwards trying to keep some distance between them because she couldn't think to well with him close to her. She takes on last step and bumps into the wall.

"Uh nowhere else to go" he says as he blocks her path with his hands on either side of her body keeping her from getting away. He leans in to look into her eyes inches away from each other. "Why should I be ashamed? There is no shame in wanting what is mine. I shouldn't have to say it since you can feel it."

"What am I suppose to be feeling? I'm still trying to get used to all the jumbled emotions you and Angel set off. Sometimes I know what you're feeling when there is an incredible rage. I'm still trying to work it out this is new to me so stop beating around the bush and tell me what you mean." She replies sarcastically and licks her lips.

Angelus watches her as her tongue comes out to moisten her lips. He leans in and attacks her mouth with a low growl.

Buffy fists her hands into his shirt and tries to pull him closer but he pulls back and starts to kiss her cheek and the mark on her neck. He smiles at her grasp of pleasure and backs away.

Buffy opens her eyes and looks at his heated ones confused.

"That is where we should start. The answers to those feelings are in that scar on your neck. So Buff what do you have to ask me?" He walks back over to the couch and sits.

It takes Buffy a couple of minutes to regain her composure and she shakes herself out of her separate world. She makes her way back over to the couch and goes to sit next to Angelus when she feels him grab her hand and pulls her into his lap.

"Oomph! Was that necessary?"

"Yes now can we get this over with so I can get to tell you what I want in return for my honesty?" He rebukes while his eyes are traveling all over her body.

"Ok so the scar on my neck. I know it shouldn't be here because I don't scar and the Master had bitten me and that didn't scar. Why did Angel's bite scar me?"

"That" he says as he runs his finger over the scar and gets a tremble from Buffy "was not  
Soul boy" he growls. "Soul boy, he would have never left that on you knowing the consequences. It may have been him in control but that was my doing."

Buffy looks up at him, stares him straight in the face and tries to feel out if he was telling the truth. And there was no underlying in his tone, look or the feelings she was getting from him. She felt pride, 'why was he proud to scar me'?

"That Lover is not only a scar it is a mark. To put it in easy terms it's a brand."

"So you marked your territory is that what this is and why?"

"Honestly it wasn't intentional. Vampires don't usually make a habit of marking humans. It's a symbol and the only person that should be ashamed of it is Soul boy because of what it represents. There really isn't a why but I'll tell you what it means. It means that you belong to me that no other demon can take you it will also help with the thrall from the older vampires. In your and Soul boy's terms it's the demon version of Soul mates. In vampires not many of us are mated and it's usually to their own kind not humans."

"I was fighting a vampire last week and when he tried to bite me…." There's a loud growl coming from Angelus at her words but Buffy places her hand on his chest and it helps to calm him down and the growl turns in to a light purr. "Can I finish my thoughts please without you getting all grr on me? Anyways he tried to bite me than paused and said that I was marked."

"Any vampire that knows the lore knows that it's unforgivable and against the oldest rules in vampire history to take another's mate."

"Ok it's significant to the relationship but not a big deal since Angel left."

"Oh Lover it is a big deal. Your emotions and disconnect after he left is a big deal. Once mated to someone there is a connection and that connection is very volatile in the beginning. It needs to be honed. Soul boy figured that if he left before the bond could take an effect you would be safe. Besides he was selfish and didn't want you to figure out what it meant. He knew that you would hunt him down. Now Lover, remember that this is rare and not many know what it means it hasn't happened in centuries and most of all a vampire and a human."

"So it usually happens to vampires only. Why didn't you and Darla end up mated?"

"Darla was a courtesan not a mate." At her confused look he sighed and said "She was a high priced 400 year old prostitute. Of course she would have men flocking at her but she was only in it for herself nothing more."

"So you see me more as an equal if I'm your mate."

"I'm a demon. I couldn't love and I never did love anyone even when I was human. What I was feeling for you while I was free was consuming me and I didn't want it to take over me. I tried to break you not the usually way I do it but just testing the waters the more time I spent with you or watching you these feeling would consume me and in easy terms I just wanted to be the demon I was not a demon like Spike that relished in his love for Dru."

"Ok so your feelings for me are what drove you to suck the world into hell. Thanks for that it makes me feel really special."

"You weren't letting go of Soul boy and that is who you loved. These feelings were to consuming if I couldn't get rid of them with others than I wanted them to stop anyway I could. We are getting off topic and I won't be here forever."

"Ok so you said that the bond needed to be honed. What did you mean?"

"The bond should grow over time with us being in proximity to each other, feeding off your blood and there are other factors to consider but like I said no one is sure because you are human. Our bond started out different than the vampire and slayer bond. It was more intense you could distinguish me from other vampires even without the soul and it grew more when the sex happened and now that you are marked other things will start to happen not just to you but to me as well if blood is taken. Honestly I believe these Powers are the ones that activated your senses with that soul dream. That is what Soul boy is afraid of now that you can sense both of our emotions he's worried you'll sense other things not just with him but with me."

"Ok I understand that now. What do you think he has to do to become one with the demon as the Oracle said?"

"Buff his problem is that he doesn't want to accept me as a part of him. We are separate but we are the same being. He was always afraid of what would happen if I got out again and made good with my promises. Things are different now. I will protect you to the day I turn to dust. I won't tolerate anyone that hurts you, causes you pain, or tries to kill you. He needs to accept me then the demon can integrate with the soul. Only if there is acceptance can this happen and he knows that and he doesn't want you to love anyone but him because I'm a monster. I am what I am because of Darla. I was never shown love even when I was human. The only love that I felt was for my sister and Darla used that as a tool because once that was gone nothing would stop me from becoming her masterpiece. I have accepted my roll in your life even if it's from the inside. If he doesn't smarten up I may have to be in control forever because what the Oracle showed him will not happen if I'm around!"

"Ok I get it I do you love me in your own possessive and controlling way. I accept that. What will happen to me and the bond if I can't convince him to understand?"

"I think he's understanding a little bit more now than before. What will happen to you? There is a possibility that when the bond break but that would leave you vulnerable. Your senses and sharpness will weaken and it will be easy for your enemies to over take you but you don't need to worry about that because it won't happen." He notices that Buffy is considering everything he is saying so she doesn't notice when he leans in to kiss her mark, vamps out and bites her.

Buffy trying to struggle and pull herself away and off of Angelus but he tightens his hold. He takes to big swallows before he pulls away licking the wound to heal the marks and stop the flow of blood. He kisses the mark and looks into her eyes with a smile and says "sorry it was necessary because he wasn't going to do it and he probably would have a problem with honing the bond. Now he has no choice. If you need me lover you call for me and I'll be here in a heartbeat." He kisses her on the lips before his eyes close.

Buffy gets up and starts pacing waiting for Angel to wake up. She hears movement going on upstairs and then feet pounding down the stairs.

She smiles at Cordy and Doyle.

"Your still alive so I take it things went well with Angelus." Cordy observes her to make sure she was unharmed. "He bit you and you let him!"

"He took advantage of me being distracted but he only did it because he knew Angel wouldn't."

"So he told you about the mark and what it means?" Doyle asks shifting his feet from side to side.

"I understand why you didn't say anything and now why you were so determined to help me. Did he really know that with time I could have died inside and out?"

"I didn't know. The bond was a big part of why I left and I didn't want to explain what it meant because I already made my decision to leave. I knew if we stayed together that the bond would have to be honed for you to survive but because he marked you and then the next day I left I didn't think that it would have an effect."

"You didn't feel that I need to know? No you didn't want me to know what Angelus felt because you where ashamed! Do you understand the consequences of this now Angel? Would you have done what Angelus did to keep me?"

"Buffy there are consequences to everything everyone does. I didn't want to hold you back. I wanted you to live the life you would've had if you weren't the slayer, a normal life."

"I understand that you were trying to do what was best for me but Angel the only person that is best for me is you. Even your demon knows this and accepts it why can't you accept it and be honest with me. Stop hiding everything from me to protect me. I need to know what is going on so that we can figure it out together not alone."

"Oh Buffy there are so many factors to my decision I didn't think you should know because all they do is hurt you. I didn't want those to affect your relationship with the people you love."

"What are you talking about? Angel did someone other than the mayor say something to you? Please tell me!"

"Angel man now is the time to come clean. Come on Princess they need to work this out for themselves. Now we know that she's ok and Angelus is gone we can get back to work." Doyle places his hand on Cordelia's back to turn her toward the stairs.

"Your mother", Angel replies with a heavy sigh.

"Oh boy!" Cordy says and starts to run for the stairs because Buffy was about to blow.

"WHAT!"

"Your mother came to me the day I broke up with you. She just clarified every mix feeling I was having about the relationship and what I wanted for you."

"Oh", Buffy replies as she makes her way to the couch and plops herself down putting her hands in her face.

Angel kneels in front of her and pulls her hands free. "I'm sorry Buffy for not having the courage to face my fears with you not just about Angelus but about what I was scared to realize about us and the bond. He was right I would've just let it fade but I swear to you if I knew the consequences would be for you to be withdrawn and vulnerable to everything around you."

Buffy looks at him and says "how can Angelus figure it out and you ignore the facts?"

"Angelus uses his head more. The demon has more rational thought now since he marked you. He kept pushing me but I blocked him off. I know I should've listen to him but I've spent so many years ignoring him and his comments it comes natural. After Angelus marked you it was hard not to block him off but I didn't want to believe that he would be better for you. I was afraid to lose control and let him out. I wasn't really sure if I could trust him after what happened the last time."

"Do you see it now Angel? Do you understand what would've happened to me if the Powers didn't interfere?"

"I do now. This experience was different. I wasn't just gone I was in the background and I felt more of what he was feeling and I felt how calming your presence was to him. We need to do more research on the mating bond. I want to help you through this. We do this together."

Buffy looked up at him and smiled. She leaned forward to put her arms around him and hug him close. Angel picks her up in his arms so that they can both lay down on the couch in each others arms. Angel pulls her close and rubs her back as he notices the little shakes and sniffles coming from her.

"Don't worry Ionuin, we'll figure this out together."

It had been an exhausting day, emotionally for the both of them so they were entitled to rest for a couple of hours right?

**I know I said I was going to finish the episode in this chapter but I got carried away again and it's starting to get late and I've had a long day too. Next up more the episode closure and Buffy and Angel try to figure out their relationship and the affects of Angelus bite. I'd like some suggestions if anyone has any ideas of any side effects they would like to see the bond have. Please review your comments are welcomed. Thanks again for taking the time to read!**


	8. Let's Get This Finished

**Hello Everyone. Just want to say thank you again to all my readers and reviewers thanks for taking an interest to this story.**

**Chapter 8: **_**Let's Get This Finished**_

Buffy and Angel lay in peaceful slumber with serene looks on their faces as they hold each other. They seem to glow in their slumber or it could be because of the dream they are sharing again.

They are in the mist again and waiting to see if anyone else joins them.

'We are glad that you have made your choice even though other influences had to be a part of the decision. Your journey together will be a great one and not without hardships. Continue to let your bond grow and do not be afraid to enjoy the life you have together in this time. Come together and be one. Embrace each other and stay true and honest. 'Little Warrior' your choices will lead you to a greater path not only with your champion but you will gain others in your life that will stay true to the cause and the love and friendship you have to give. Never doubt yourself or the decisions you make. Be true to your heart and stay true to your instincts. We must go now but know that we will always be here when needed and when looked upon. May you both find peace in your dreams.'

The mist started to lift as the voice was fading away. 'Together you are strong. Alone you are dead.'

Angel starts to wake from his slumber and notices the extra weight on him. He opens his eyes and looks down at Buffy's sleeping form. He reaches out his hand to push her hair from her face and behind her ear. He just laying there and watches her sleep like he used to do after a long night of patrol. A little while later, he extracts himself from her embrace trying not to wake her, knowing he needs to get up and find out what is out there killing these people. He walks up stair to the offices and decides to head back out to the club.

As he's walking out the door you hear Cordy say, "Where are you going?"

"To the bar. To see if I can meet a killer."

Angel walking up in front of D'oblique, staring at the ground thinking about the day he had. Thinking of not only what happened with him and Buffy but the conversation he had to be in the background for when Angelus was explaining the bond and the fact that he also considers her his mate. He was so lost in his thoughts he bumps into some also not paying attention.

"Oh, excuse me."

"Well, hello."

"Hi, Kate. Uh…I'm glad to see you again."

"Really…"

"Yeah, - I owe you an apology for last night."

"You don't owe me anything I understand that some relationships can be a little complicated and you may be trying to get some space to think."

"No, it was rude."

"Okay, then… maybe you can buy me a drink and we can start fresh."

"I'm not sure that you should go in there tonight."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure it's safe."

"What's not safe?"

"I can't really explain it."

"You know I'm having a problem trusting people and surprise, you're not making it any

better."

"I'm just asking you not to go in there."

"And where are you going?"

Angel pauses and shifts his feet right then left and says, "In there."

"Well, I'll tell you what I can go where ever I want and ah, you can go to hell."

Angel watches her walk into the bar "Been there, done that not very pleasant at all."

Inside of the bar Kate walks up to the bar and sits down next to a blond girl talking to a young man.

"The usual?"

"Yes."

He sets a tall glass with a straw in front of her. Angel walks in, looks at her back for a moment then blows out a deep breath and settles down at the bar further down. They look at each other for a moment across the people sitting between them, Kate turns away.

Kate to the blonde sitting beside her and mummers, "You know, some guys have real problems."

The blonde turns around and get back into the conversation she was having with than man.

Another man walks into the bar heading straight for the bar to speak with the bartender

"Yo man, where is Kevin?"

"Hell if I know. Haven't seen him in here tonight. Why?"

"Dude didn't show up for work today. And he's not answering his phone."

"Pretty sure I seen him hook up with some girl last night. He's probably sleeping it off."

Angel is intrigued 'maybe this is what I'm looking for' "What girl?"

Cordy and Doyle are sitting together looking through a bunch of books about demons.

Doyle points at the picture of a demon.

"Here's another one. Piasca. It's a flesh-eating Indian demon that enters victims through the mouth and eviscerates from within. You're going to put that one down?"

"Yeah. Ugh, demons. Is there anything more disgusting?"

Doyle pauses for a moment and looks at her and says, "You think so?"

Cordy looks at him surprised "Come on. - Okay, look at this one. This demon wears a wreath of intestines around its head. I mean honestly, what kind of a statement is this thing trying to make with that?"

"Yeah, you know, I mean, it really depends, doesn't it? I mean some demons could actually be nice, given the opportunity. I think you'd have to get to know them, yeah?"

"I've met a lot of demons, and slime aside, not a whole lot going on there."

"Cordy you have to have an open mind when it comes to some. Not all demons are bad and some can look human as well. Then you have the ones that are half human and demon but choose to suppress the demon half. You have to learn to be objective if you want to make it in this business." Buffy cuts into their conversation and Doyle looks up at her and smiles and mouths 'Thank you' while Buffy nods and takes a seat at the desk. "Where did Angel go?"

In the bar the bartender is replying to Angel's question, "Sharon, Sharon. Her name is Sharon Kind of a regular."  
"Sharon? That dowdy chick? Ah, Kevin, scraping the bottom of the barrel."

"Look, where can I find Sharon?"

"She's in here tonight. No Kevin though. I guess it wasn't true love after all." He looks over to where Sharon was sitting next to Kate but doesn't see her. "Ah, she was there

just a minute ago, getting it on with some Screech."

"Yeah, that's definitely more her level." The man that just arrived remarked

"Look, any idea where she lives?" Angel asks the bartender.

"No."

"What about a last name?"

"Last name? Not a lot of last names in a place like this."

"It's Richler." The man confesses "Alright. I asked her out a couple times."

Angel gets up to leave. He stops at a telephone booth to look through the pages to see if he can track the woman down not noticing Kate watching his every move.

Sharon and the Screech lying in bed staring up at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry. I wanted this to go better. Maybe I was trying too hard. I just really like you.

Next time, it'll be better."

Sharon turns to him and says, "Roll over."

"Okay."

He rolls over and she cuddles up behind him.

"This is nice. I think sometimes what we really need…"

A strange looking reptile like worm suddenly emerges from Sharon's chest, and starts burrow into the back of screech teeth first and he screams from the pain.

Angel hears the screams and bursts through the apartment by busting the door. He looks

surprised that he got in. It dawns on him what that means and he grimly scans the apartment. He walks over to an open door and sees Sharon lying on the bed looking like week-old corpse. He looks over and just sees the tail end of the burrower disappear into Screech's back, leaving no visible marks behind, as he pulls on a sweater.

Screech turning to look at Angel and says, "You're not human."

"News flash, pal, you're a bit of the evolutionary chart yourself."

Both of them look over at Sharon lying on the bed.

Angel makes his stance saying, "This has to stop. You have to stop."

"I will, when I find the right one. The one I can stay with."

"The right body? What's wrong with this one?"

"Nothing, yet. It's new and different. It's great… but it won't last. I already know it's not

the one I can live in."

"Well, then it'll have to be the one you die in."

They exchange some blows. The screech is at least as strong as Angel and not in the least bit phased by Angel's blows. He manages to drop Angel with a punch to his back that makes Angel slide into the wall head first. When Angel gets back up his demon is showing. They go at it again, hitting and slamming each other into the walls. Screech picks Angel up and throws him high through the air. Angel hits the corner of the room head down with his back to the wall and slides to the floor. Screech takes off.

Kate runs into the apartment. Angel manages to get back up. When he turns to her he once again looks human.

"Kate, what are you doing here?"

They both look over at the dead body on the bed.

"Look, I know what this looks like."

Kate aims her gun at his face and pulls out a police badge: "So do I."

Kate puts her badge back away: "LAPD. - You have the right to…"

"I waive it. How did you find me?"

"I've been tracking you since last night."

"Listen…"

"Don't move! Not a step. Back-up is on the way."

"We're on the same side. I'm after this guy, too."

"You're telling me you're an investigator?"

"More or less."

"Where is your license?"

"That's the less part."

"Right."

"Kate you don't know, you didn't see…"

"What I see is the carving job of an impotent sicko. It's frustrating, isn't it, not being able to connect, to love like other people? Is that why your having issues with your girlfriend? Does she really know who you are?"

"He gives them what they are longing for."

"And that is?"

"Hope. That the loneliness is going to end, and he is going to do it again…"

"Unless I let you go so you can stop him. Save me the lines. I've heard them."

"And I've heard yours. Something about not being able to trust people?"

Kate gets out her handcuffs: "Turn around."

Angel turns and puts his hand up against the wall with a sigh. She slaps a cuff around his right wrist and pulls his arm down.

"I'm sorry."

"Is that a confession?"

"I didn't do that. I'm sorry for this!"

He kicks back, knocks her down and sprints for the open window. She gets up and shoots

four times as he dives headfirst out the window to land on the hood of a car parked below, setting off its alarm. He rolls off and runs off down the street as Kate watches from the window.

Buffy, Doyle and Cordy walking into Buffy's dad's house carrying a stack of old books.

Doyle looks around "Wow, this is like a freaking mansion!"

"Yeah a big old house with lots of expensive things that just sits here because my dad prefers to spend his time in Spain with his secretary.

Doyle notices something lying on the couch and picks up a bra and holds it up to his chest laughing.

Cordelia takes it away from him impatiently "That is so High School! Cordelia wears bras. Oh, she has girlie parts!"

"Take it easy. You're being a tad defensive here. I think it's refreshing seeing a woman leaving her stuff around in the open even though she doesn't live here. You know, it means you're not so up tight. Means you live for the moment."

The doorbell rings and Buffy goes to answer it shaking her head at their bantering. She opens the door to see Angel on the other side.

"Angel! What happened to you? Come in!"

Cordelia and Doyle look up to the door to see what Buffy is reacting to. They make it to the door and Cordy gasps.

"Oh, my god. Are you okay?"

Buffy isn't paying attention as she is pulling him in the house and then runs to the bathroom to get the first aid kit.

"What happened to you, man? You look wrecked!" Doyle says getting out of his stupor.

"That woman that I was talking to at the bar last night, you know Kate?"

"She's the killer?" Cordy asks.

"She's a cop. Followed me to another body."

"Now she thinks you're the killer."

Buffy walks back in with the supplies indicating for him sit down so she can start to clean him up and unbutton his shirt to make sure everything else is ok.

"Well she better be very careful where she's headed because no one messes with you when I'm around." Buffy says in her own little growl

Angel smiles at her comment and says, "Yeah. So we don't have a lot of time to…"

Doyle says trying to get Buffy's mind elsewhere at the moment, "Yeah, well, we put together that list of eviscerating demons that you asked for. We actually narrowed it down to 3 or 4."

"I saw it. It's a burrower."

"It's a donkey? Oh, we didn't see any donkey demons."

The guys just look at her while Buffy pauses her nursing and shakes her head and laughs.

"Burrower."

"Oh."

"It eviscerates its victims as it moves from body to body, and it may only be able to do it after some kind of a sex act, exchange of fluids kind of thing."

"Eww!"

"Lovely." Buffy replies.

"Look I want you to find out anything you can about this thing. Weaknesses especially. It was amazingly strong while we were fighting. It may be hard to kill."

"We're on it." Doyle says looking at the girls and nodding.

"Good. I'm going to get back to the bar, see if I can find this thing."

"I want to come with you" Buffy states.

"I want you here with them. You don't have to be the slayer all the time and I don't want Kate on your trail. I need you to be safe. Besides your here for us and to spend time with Cordelia not work. Let me take care of this. I promise if I need extra muscle you'll be the first one I call"

"Ok you win." She leans in to gently kiss him but he was having any gentle and pulled her closer.

"Ahem!"

They pulled apart and Angel got up to button up his shirt.

"What makes you think that it will show? It knows that you're after it." Cordy finally asks.

"It'll be out there. It's got to keep trying to make a connection."

"Why?"

Angel: "Because that's what lonely people do."

It was uneventful night he searched anywhere he could think of looking for this burrower. Meanwhile Kate is investigating on her own as she searches Angel's office and then heads down to his apartment looking for anything that could lead her to him being the killer. She looks in the fridge and notices it's full and turns to walk over to the living room looking at the walls and the various weapons on display and then she notices a notebook lying on the coffee table picks it up and opens it seeing the names inside the front cover:

Buffy Anne Summers

Liam O'Connor

She closes it and puts it back where she found it.

Angel makes it back to the house just as the sky is starting to light up and sees Cordy and Doyle sleeping on the couch with books in their laps open while Buffy is sprawled out on the floor with her arms crossed on top of an open book and her head resting on her arms. He smiles and squats down to brush her hair out of her face and she stirs.

"Morning. Iouion "

Doyle stirs noticing that Angel is back and says, "Hey, ah, so, any luck yet?"

"No not yet." He lifts Buffy off of the floor and carries her to the couch where he sits and lays her head on his lap. "I know I can recognize this thing if I just saw it in another body."

"That shouldn't be a problem then. That narrows it down to what? 5 million suspects in the naked city?"

Angel sighs as he is stroking Buffy's head trying to reassure her and help her fall back to sleep "How about you. Did you find anything?"

"Yeah, we found a name for this burrower guy. Ah, Tahlmer? He's been around forever. A dawn of time kind of dude." Buffy replies moaning to Angel massaging her head.

"Any weaknesses?"

"Few and far between. This kid is strong like you said. Not to crazy about fire though." Doyle replies  
"Something we have in common."

"It's a parasite. It moves from body to body. And when it leaves one for the next, not going to gag here, but the first one goes kaplooey pretty fast." Cordy says reading the passage on the Tahlmer.

"Yep, curdles like cream on a hot day." Doyle jokes

"I believe I covered that with non dairy kaplooey?"

"I'm going to need help to find this thing."

"Well, who you're calling?"

"Kate."

"Cagney and Lacy Kate? I thought we were hiding from her."

"We were. But she's been tracking this thing a lot longer than we have."

Kate sitting at her desk. The phone rings and she picks it up.

"Lockley."

"It's me. I need you to help me find the killer."

"That's easy. I'm talking to him or maybe it's your girlfriend I'm looking for she has a knack for getting into trouble."

"That would make things nice and clean now, wouldn't it? Do not and I repeat do not bring her into this because you want to place blame here. But it's not true and I think some pat of you knows that. Look he's still out there. We should be sharing information."

"That's not possible."

"All I need is 5 minutes. You think I'm your man after that, arrest me. Meet me at the bar at 7:00."

"Sure, that's actually on my to-do list for this week: walk into a serial killer's trap."

"Look, I don't care if you come armed, wired, and covered by sharpshooters. Do what ever it takes so you feel secure. I can help you Kate, but you're just going to have to trust me." Hangs up the phone and looks at the others.

"You're not going there alone this time. I don't care what you say!" Buffy says looking up at him as he hung up the phone.

Kate is sitting nervously at a table in the bar. The bartender comes up to her.

"Kate. The usual?"

Kate pulls out her badge and shows it to him.

"That's not your usual."

"Every now and then I'm in the mood for something different. Look, you remember that guy that was in here the other night? He was tall, nice-looking, had another guy with him and two other girls' one had long blonde hair and the other had long dark hair?"

"Sure, sure."

"Let me know as soon as he comes in, okay?"

"Yeah, you bet." He walks off in the other direction.

"Thanks."

Guy comes over to Kate's table "God I hate places like this, don't you?"

Kate: "I do, but um..."

The guy sits down "I kind of guessed that. You really don't look like you are in your element here. Which is a compliment, by the way."

Kate: "Thanks. Um, Look I'd really love to chat, but actually I'm waiting for someone."

The bartender comes back and says, "That guy you you're looking for? I think he's out in the alley."

"What is he doing there?"

"I as just taking out some trash and there he was. Looked like he was ready to rabbit."  
Kate gets up from her seat and says, "Show me" turns to the man that sat down and says,

"Sorry, I guess you have to keep trolling."

Kate and the bartender step through the back door. Kate has her gun out. She pulls out a card and hands it back to the bartender without looking at him.

"Call this number; tell the sergeant that I need back… aahh!"

The bartender picked up a wine bottle and hits her over the head with it. She drops to the ground unconscious. He pulls up her jacket and after a quick look around rips her T-shirt down the middle.

He holds her up in front of him. Suddenly the parasite appears in the middle of his chest and lunges towards Kate's back. Before it can make contact the bartender is thrown back by a board to his head. He drops Kate and the parasite retracts. Leaving a mark behind on his chest.

Angel grabs a hold of Kate's shoulders: "Kate! Kate? Can you move? Move!"

He pulls Kate out of the way just as the bartender tries to slam a keg down on them but Buffy interjects and kicks the bartender and slams her fist into its stomach. The Tahlmer stares at the flap of skin hanging lose from his forehead where it got hit by the board.

"I guess you're done with that body." Angel replies as he gets up and motions Buffy to check on Kate.

The bartender slams Angel face first into the fence.

"You stop being a guy. You don't get to finish you just come apart at the seams."  
Angel slams his head back in the others face the holds on to the fence and swings up his legs and wraps them around the bartenders neck. Kate looks at Buffy as she's trying to help her stand and stares as Angel twists his body throwing the bartender to the floor. Getting up between Angel's legs the bartender lifts him up and slams him into the wall, then tosses him through the door into a storage room. Angel catches the doorframe to keep from falling backwards down the stairs behind him, but the bartender throws Buffy into him. They tumble down the stairs, Angel trying to cushion Buffy's fall, as the bartender slams the door shut.

"Where's Kate?"

"She started to back away as the fight got intense. I told her to stay down and out of sight."

They hear footsteps and a door opening and look up to see Kate opening the door.

"Thanks" Angel says as he and Buffy are walking up the stairs.

Angel, Buffy and Kate hurrying through the club and out the bar and they split up.

As the bartender is pulling a blond girl into an alley Angel and Buffy come running into the alley and Angel launches himself feet first at the bartender, knocking him away from the girl.

Buffy runs up to the girl and says, "Run!" She does.

Angel flips the bartender over a crate and kicks him. They fight, but even though the guy is falling apart he is still stronger than Angel and doesn't even seem to feel it when Angel throws him into the wall. He grabs Angel and tries to force his head into the burning barrel. Angel manages to spin away and throw the bartender back into the alley. He gets right back up and they keep fighting. Buffy sees that the bartender is getting the upper hand so she steps in as he is about to pick Angel up. She kicks him in the back making him drop Angel and stagger on his feet. Buffy advances towards him again as he gets up and she kicks him and he knocks into the burning barrel and catches on fire.

Shots ring out and the burning bartender stumbles back and falls to the ground and away from a fallen Angel. Buffy runs toward him and Angel see Kate with her gun out and he collapse in Buffy's arms.

After gaining his momentum back he and Buffy make their way out of the alley and toward Kate.

"It all seems to add up. The bartender was connected to everyone. I must have talked to him a dozen times. I never had a clue."

Angel: "It's hard to get to know people."

Kate: "Yes it is. I didn't thank you…for saving my life the both of you."

"I think saving ours is a start."

Kate: "I think you should know I searched your place, illegally, no warrant and ran a check on your girl after looking in her notebook and seeing her name. I thought your

name was Angel not Liam."

He looks towards Buffy and she shrugs.

"Looks are deceiving and the less you know the better you are especially when this weird stuff is involve. Don't ask any questions because you won't like the answers." Buffy replies.

"Why are you telling me?"

"I don't know. I guess so we can start fresh. No secrets. Some pretty weird stuff for a veterinarian."

Angel looks down with a half smile.

"Look, if you ever need me, or if I can help you in anyway…" He gives her a piece of paper with his name and number on it.  
"Detective Lockley, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Kate turns to him for a moment: "Yes sir." When she turns back Angel and Buffy are nowhere to be seen.

Kate turns back to the guy after some looking around: "What's up?"

Angel and Buffy head back to the office to tell Cordy and Doyle their success.

Angel looks up at his friends and says, "I know you guys have been working hard. I mean, you've been cooped up inside a lot. And to show my appreciation I was thinking, the night being, you know, young and all that the four of us could….well, should, You know, maybe….go out…you know for fun.

"Or we can go home. So that the two of you can go out and all since the night is young… and have….maybe some fun." Cordy says laughing and making everyone else join in from Angel's awkward stammer.

"That actually sounds like a good idea since I have to go back home tomorrow you can treat me for all my hard work this weekend. Besides you owe me from all the stress you put me under."

Everyone laughs at her statement except for Angel he frowns. Doyle and Cordy grab their stuff and head out the door to leave the two of them alone.

**Ok finally I've finished the 2****nd**** episode of Angel. Next we deal with them figuring out their plan and Buffy goes home. I hope you enjoyed and please your comments are always welcome. Thanks for reading!**


	9. The Road We Should've Taken

**Hello Everyone. Want to say thank you to all the readers. I'm just shocked how many people like my story I really didn't think anyone would actually. So thank you very much and hope you continue to like the story.**

After Cordy and Doyle walked out the door Buffy made her way down the stairs to Angel's apartment with Angel at her heals. She went to the fridge to get something to drink to prepare for what was to come. She made her way to the living room and sat on the couch waiting for Angel to follow.

Once comfortable she turned to look at him and said, "There are a lot of things about our relationship we must work through and that will take time. There are a lot of things that I'm going through right now that I don't understand and have to process. Angelus said things that I have to make sense of on my own but you also need to work through your issues. Things at home are not what they used to be and I'm trying to make it through one day at a time.

It's difficult when you had everyone trying to help and all of a sudden no one wants to look at the big picture. I know everyone have their own lives as I do my own but I feel more alone now than I ever did. Angelus said that was part of the bond and that we have to harness it and I want to know if you plan to go help. A lot has happened this summer and I've come to realize that even though I miss the relationship we had we can never get that back. Too much has happened and I'm hoping that what we have will be better. I need you to promise me that we will make decisions about our relationship together. If you come to Sunnydale and people are trying to tell you what is right and wrong that you won't go back to trying to make the right decision without talking with me not for me. That is the first step and most important can you do that Angel?"

"Buffy what I can promise you is that I would never leave you alone. You will always have me whenever you need me that will never change. Communication was always a problem and with the bond now it will be crucial for the both of us to be more open. We are still not sure what this will create for the both of us but it will affect me just as much as you.

"The one thing that I can be honest about the bond is it will grow and for something like that to manifest has to do with blood. We need to find out what we can about it before it takes over powers us. I also believe that the Powers are the ones that reconnected it because of their concern for your struggles. They may have strengthened the bond temporarily but to what extent is what we need to find out and we will. The dreams are a key to the power of our souls and if the dreams can continue it can bide us time to figure out what is going on.

"For right now lets not worry too much about that we can figure it out as we go and explore what we have with it so far. Right now you are the only one that has shown signs of the bonds growth. The distance is going to be hard but we will keep in touch as much as we can. I'll try to visit when I can and you're always welcome to stay here when ever you like."

"Ok now that we have the bond cleared up there is something I wanted to tell you that I have been doing but nobody knows. I've been going to see Faith…"

"Buffy do you really think that is a good idea."

"She's responding to me. She's been the only person in my life right now that seems to listen to what I have to say. It's kind of ironic since she was the one that never wanted to listen to a word I said. I'm making progress and with the mayor gone I'm hoping that my support will help her through this and maybe put her back on track. It's something that I have to do. When I woke up in the hospital after curing you I had I dream the night before and since that dream I felt more connected to her. If she shows any signs of anything else I promise to call for help but she is responding to me. When I'm talking to her about the things that have been going on in my life when I get to an overwhelming part I feel her trying to comfort me or calm me down by squeezing my hand. If something were to happen to her or if she wakes up I'm the first person the hospital will call."

"You have a big heart Buffy and I know we take it for granted but promise me that you'll be very careful if she wakes up. I want you to call me with updates too when you go see her and maybe when I'm in town we can go there together. We'll figure it out along the way.

"So what do you want to do tonight? Are you hungry? We can get something to eat then go see a movie. It's your choice."

"I am kind of hungry but I just want to stay with you so it really doesn't matter what we do. We can order something in or pick it up watch a movie her. We might just have to go out and get it cuz I'm guessing you have a T.V. but no movies."

"Cordelia made me get it and the VCR but I have no interest in the movies your generation is into."

Buffy looks at him shocked and they both start to laugh. Boy was he in for a good night.

Angel just watched her for a few minutes and came up with a better plan.

"Why don't you go back to your dad's place and get ready. Wear something elegant yet comfortable. I'll drop you off and then come back in a couple of hours and pick you up is that enough time?"

"Angel what are you up to?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Now is that enough time?"

"Yeah it should be I'll have Cordy help me get ready I'm sure she'll enjoy using her beauty magic on me." She laughs thinking how excited Cordy's going to be helping her get ready for her date with Angel.

The make their way up the stairs and through the office to Angel's convertible. About ten minutes later Buffy comes running through the door to her dad's house screaming for Cordy.

"What's the matter? Oh no what did he do? Do you want me to stake him for you?"

"No I need your help and we only have two hours to get me ready. Angel's taking me out and I have to wear something elegant but comfortable. I'm going to take a shower can you go through my stuff and pick something out for me. If I know Angel he's probably going to take me to a show or Opera of some sorts. They have showings all the time in L.A."

"Ok you go shower, I'll do the beauty."

An hour later Buffy's out of the shower dressed in her robe hair dry and ready for dressing, hair and make-up.

"I looked through your stuff and nothing really clicked but I know that from earlier I saw some gowns in the closet of your dad's bedroom and saw just the thing for you."

Cordy unzipped the garment bag and revealed a red sparkling gown. Buffy reached for it to pull it off the hanger and out of the bag. It was a beautiful gown it was red halter gown and with the light shining on it it looked like diamonds were sparkling out at you. She walked to the full length mirror with it in front of her to examine what she would look like. She had a big smile on her face, looked up at Cordy who was smiling too and said "Thanks Cordy your right this is great. Did I bring my silver shoes with the gems this will look great with those shoes?"

"You did but I think these would look better." She holds up a pair of red stilettos with the same sparkling gems as on the gown.

"At least I know my dad's secretary is good for something. I just might have to raid her closet more often."

They hurried to finish getting Buffy ready. Cordy worked on her hair as Buffy was applying her make-up. Cordy made a messy bun on top of Buffy's head with ringlets coming down around her head. She placed a couple of clips on each side that would sparkle along with her dress. Buffy's make-up was light but beautiful especially bring out the green in her eyes and the red lipstick bring out the fullness of her lips.

"Now for the finishing touch. Come on I'll help you into the gown."

Cordy unzipped the gown to allow Buffy to step into it and helped her zip it back up. Both of them glanced in the mirror to see the masterpiece that was created. They both look at each other and smile.

"Thanks Cordy this is great."

"Oh Buffy your welcome you look awesome. You're going to knock his socks off. Oh but not literally because that would be bad and we can't afford that badness now. So, you do not take off clothing of any kind."

"I think we're safe now but that's not what we are going to be worried about that tonight. This is an actual date and I'm so nervous. I've never been this nervous before. How much time do we have left?"

"He should be here any minute. Does your dad have a camera around here you so need to keep this memory fresh and I'm dying to see what Angel looks like."

"There should be a camera in my old room in the middle drawer of the desk up against the windows."

Buffy made her way down the stairs to the living room to wait for Angel to come. Cordy came down seconds later with the trusted camera in hand. "Ok I want to take a couple of shots of you alone so pose for me." Cordy took more than a couple of pictures but Buffy didn't mind she wanted to have something to look back on and remember and besides the dress wasn't hers so she had to have some proof that she looked like a million dollars.

Ten minutes later the doorbell rang indicating that Angel had arrived.

"I'll get it you stand here so he can't see you right away. I want to get a picture of his mouth hanging open so I can use it later on." They both laugh as Buffy tries to stand still in anticipation.

Cordy makes her way to the door and opens it. "Oh, Wow! Look at you handsome! You clean up very nicely!"

"Hello Cordelia is Buffy ready yet?"

"Oh boy is she and you are not the only one that's going to lose their socks."

Cordy moves aside so that Angel can come in and Cordy steps back so that she is in a better position to capture his face once he notices Buffy. To say that it was a Kodak moment is an understatement. Cordy takes the picture and Angel blinks and looks at her.

"I wanted to capture the moment. Especially the drool that's hanging from your mouth."

She says and she and Buffy are laughing and Angel the only one looking confused. He wipes at his chin to see if he was drooling and both girls laugh harder.

"Buffy you are a vision."

"No, no, no, no do not jinx it you buffoon. There will be no visions of any kind do not jinx my masterpiece." Cordy scolded him with her hands on her hips.

"It's Ok Cordy." Buffy replies just looking at him all snazzied up she knew exactly what he meant because she was thinking the same thing about him.

"Ok pictures! I want pictures and lots of pictures." Cordy replies demanding

Angel walks over to Buffy and reaches for her hands. Cordy couldn't help but use this moment to invade their privacy. It was worth it because it looked to be that they were communicating to each other without the use of words. Their eyes are what spoke volumes as the appeased Cordy with the photo shot.

Ten minutes later after Cordy was done with her playing photographer they made their way out the door. Buffy looked up to see a white limo waiting in front of the house. She turned around to look at Angel and he was smiling. She waited for him to come up beside her and kissed him meaning it to be a chaste kiss which Angel took full advantage and responded with love and affection. There was the sound of Cordy clearing her throat that got their attention and they pulled away.

"You can save that for later mister. Now off you go don't want to be late." Cordy says as she makes her way back in the house and closing the door.

Angel leads Buffy to the limo and opens the door helping her to get inside then he gets inside him self and they are off to parts unknown especially to Buffy.

They make it to the theater twenty minutes later and head to the booth to hand in their tickets.

"Ok I really like this so far what are we seeing tonight?"

"You'll just have to wait and see."

They make it inside and an usher leads them to the seating which Buffy notices that is close to the stage. Now she is getting excited and when the usher hands them each a program she looks down at it and looks at Angel with so much love and appreciation.

"Angel, this is so wonderful I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I just want you to relax and enjoy the performance."

"This is my favorite story. I love you so much." She leans in to tap his lips with a kiss. They make their way into the isle and finding their appropriate seat. Just as they were sitting down the lights started to flicker indicating for everyone to make it to their seats the show will start soon.

Buffy was excited about the performance but also that Angel is the one to share this experience with. Maybe she will get the fairytale ending someday just like Cinderella gets hers.

After the performance the audience went wild with applauses. Angel looked down at Buffy and saw the tears trailing down her face. He pulls out his handkerchief and hands it to her. She looks up at him and all he sees in her eyes was happiness, hope and the greatest emotion that he could ever get from her: love.

As Angel is looking at Buffy she gets this overwhelming feeling of love and happiness. She can tell by looking in Angel's eyes and knowing that he was feeling this but it was amplified more. She looks at him and say "I love you too Angelus".

"He knows it's just sometimes I get a little uncomfortable with what he is thinking especially when those thoughts are of you."

"It's just weird after all this time to actually be able to feel and partial understand him and his feelings."

"Don't worry so much Buffy. I'm sure the answers will come in time. But he is holding something back that I can't figure out even though his inside my head."

"I'm sure we'll be able to figure it out eventually. He can't keep it a secret forever."

"No he can't but it's time to go to our next stop. Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" He says to her as he places her arm through his.

"Not much but your speechlessness speaks loader than words."

"You do you know look absolutely beautiful."

"So do you actually you look ravishing."

"Ok moving on let's get out of here before we miss our reservation.

They made it back to Santa Monica and Buffy looked up to see the sign reading Melisse.

"Angel, have you lost your mind?"

"No but for you I'm willing to lose it."

They make it out of the car and to the front of the restaurant. There was a man in uniform ready with the door open as they make their way inside. They reach the hostess and Angel gives them the name of the reservation. They follow the hostess to their table and Angel pulls out the chair for her and takes his own. The hostess informs them that their waitress will be with them shortly and leaves the menus on the table. Buffy reaches for it and Angel puts his hand on hers to stop her.

"You won't need that I know exactly what to get you."

"Ok"

The waitress arrives to take their drink orders and Angel orders himself a coffee and a Châteauneuf-du-Pape, red wine, for Buffy. The waitress leaves to fulfill their drink order and Buffy is looking around amazed at the beauty of the place, the roaring fireplace and the beautiful and elegant people around them.

"Angel this is absolutely wonderful. I don't know what to say."

"Buffy you never have to say anything. I want to do this because we really never had a proper date and I want this to be special and a new start for us and the future. I just want to relax and enjoy your self."

"Oh I am, enjoying my self immensely alright."

"Good that's all I want you to do for the rest of the evening."

The waitress came back with their drink orders and placed them on the table. Angel started to order.

"We'll start off with the Lobster Bolognesse, then as the entrée we'll have the Rotisserie Chicken, Stuffed with Summer Truffles-For Two."

The waitress wrote the order down, picked up the menus and walked the other way to put their order in.

About a half hour later their meal arrived and Angel watched the joy of every bite she took on her face often feeding her some just to feel the vibration of the moan she made at the taste of the food.

"Oh Angel this is absolutely the best thing I've ever tasted."

"I knew you would approve."

As she took the last bite she picked up her napkin and wiped at her mouth and placed it on the table. The waitress came back to see how they were doing and if they needed anything else. Angel orders the dessert being Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate.

Buffy smiles at him and says "I don't think there was enough chocolate in that dessert."

"Don't worry you'll love it."

"Oh I'm not worried chocolate is my best friend."

Ten minutes later the waitress comes back with the dessert and Buffy's eyes widen and she licks her lips. Angel takes the plate from her and starts to feed her and the emotions start to get a little heated. At the last bite Buffy lets out a long moan.

"Oh God I've died and gone to heaven but I couldn't possibly eat anymore."

Angel picked up the check the waitress left for them when he was feeding Buffy her dessert pulled out his wallet and placed several bills in the folder to pay the bill and leave a tip for the waitress. He gets up and goes over to her chair to pull the seat from her and helps her stand. The make their way back to through the restaurant and to the limo. Again Angel helps her inside.

"Thank you Angel for an amazing evening." Buffy says and kiss him and leans her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes. Within seconds she's sound a sleep with a smile on her face.

**Ok there it is date night for Buffy and Angel. Sorry it took so long it's been a long week and I was wondering what I was going to do with this chapter. Please feel free to let me know what you think.**


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